PLATE 351 



GAZA.NIA LONGISCAI>A, B.C., var (Fl. Cap. Vol. 3, p. 474). 

 Natural Order, COMPOSITAE. 



A perennial herb, bearing yellow flowers. Leaves many, all radical, narrowly 

 linear, widened and sheathing at base, glabrous and green on upper surface, 

 deeply channelled on face, lower surface covered with dense white tomentum 

 except the midrib which is green, glabrous, very prominent and occupies nearly 

 half the breadth of leaf, margins scabrous with minute horny prickles ; 6 to 9 

 inches long, 1 to 2 lines wide in upper portion, gradually tapering to a channelled 

 petiole, which in the lower and sheathing portion reaches 3 lines in width. 

 Peduncles much longer than the leaves, 1 -headed, glabrous. Heads radiate, 

 involucral scales in 2 series, connate half way in a cup which is truncate, or 

 intruse at base, outer scales longest, subulate, inner ones a little broader, all 

 sparsely ciliate. Ray florets, neuter, unilabiate : disk florets tubular, 5-toothed, 

 perfect. Pappus of very delicate, scarious, lanceolate, toothed scales completely 

 hidden in the wool of the achene, and connate at the base. Anthers sagittate at 

 base. Style arms rounded and truncate. Achenes completely covered with long 

 silky hairs. 



Habitat : NATAL : Zululand, Cliuginhlovu, ca 500 feet alt. August, J. Wylie, 

 (Wood No. 8777). Same locality, August, J. Wylie. (Wood, No. 9405). 



The genus Gazania contains about 24 species, all natives of South Africa, 

 and at least 4 of these are found in Natal. The species here figured appears to 

 be a variety of G. longiacapa, from the type of which species it differs by its much 

 narrower leaves which in our specimens are all quite simple, not pinnatifid, and 

 also by its smaller flower heads. It is known to the natives as u-Benhle ; they 

 gather the leaves and place them for a few days under a heap of ashes, and when 

 decayed they beat them until the fibre is separated, which is twisted into fine 

 cords and used for making the fringe worn by the young girls. Sometimes the 

 fibre is scraped from the leaf with the linger nails, and twisted without previous 

 rotting. 



Fig. 1 , involucre opened ; 2, ray floret ; 3, disk floret ; 4, stamens ; 5, style 

 and stigma. All enlarged. 



