PLATES 386, 387. 



KlOELIA PINNATA, D.C. (PI. Cap. Vol. IV., 454.) 



Natural Order. BIGNONIAOE.E. 



A tree reaching to 30 feet or more in height, and bearing lax panicles of dull, 

 dark crimson flowers on long peduncles. Bark greyish ; twigs stout, terete, 

 glabrous. Leaves scattered, pet/iolate, unequally pinnate, 2 or 3 pairs and an odd 

 one, common petiole thickened at base, 5 to 8 inches long; lateral leaflets usually 

 opposite, oblong, entire, obtuse and mucronate at apex, unequal sided at base, veins 

 and veinlets prominent beneath; glabrous and shining above, duller beneath ; very 

 shortly petiolate, 3 to 5 inches long, 1 J to 3 inches broad ; terminal leaflet narrow- 

 oblong, its petiole 4 to 15 lines long. Inflorescence a loose panicle, 12 to 15 inches 

 long ; peduncles stout, terete, pendulous, pedicels reaching to 3 inches long, 

 ascending and like the peduncle reddish coloured. Calyx at first completely 

 enclosing the flower, and then 5-ribbed, the ribs meeting in a point at the apex, 

 valvate, afterwards opening widely and becoming 3-4-5-fid at apex ; 1 to Ij- inches 

 long, f inch wide, oblique. Corolla campanulate, gamopetalous, tube cylindric at 

 base, widening and compressed above, strongly ribbed externally, the ribs greenish- 

 yellow ; limb bilabiate, upper lip 2-lobed, erect, lower 3-lobed, the lobes reflexed, 

 bullate, lowest lobe largest, deflexed, the whole corolla spreading to 4 to 5 inches 

 across, dull dark crimson above, reddish between the ribs beneath. Stamens 4, 

 didynamous, with rudiment of the 5th opposite the back lobe of the corolla, 

 inserted near base of corolla tube, subexserted, filaments swollen and pilose at 

 base, reaching to sinuses of corolla ; anthers 2-celled, the cells separate nearly to 

 apex, 4 lines long. Disk large, annular, rugose. Ovary 1-celled, puberulous, 

 ovules numerous, multiseriate, on two parietal placentas. Fruit cylindric, 1 foot 

 or more long, 4 to 6 inches thick. Seeds not seen. 



Habitat : NATAL : Tugela valley, and probably in Zululand. 



Drawn and described from a tree in flower in Botanic Gardens, Durban, 

 September, 1905. 



The genus Kigelia includes species, all tropical African, K.pinnata being the 

 only one that has been observed in South Africa. Specimens of it were first sent 

 from Natal by the late Mr J. Sanderson. It is remarkable for the manner in 

 which its fruit is produced. We have never seen more than one to each panicle, and 

 as the fruit enlarges the peduncle elongates, sometimes reaching to 2 feet or more 

 in length. The fruits do not attain the size and weight here that they are said to 

 do in tropical Africa, but we have seen them more than a foot long. It is also 

 said that they have a habit of falling from the tree without warning, making it 

 unpleasant for those who may be under the tree at the time, as the fruits are 

 rather heavy. The flowers are very handsome, but rather unpleasantly scented. 

 The natives use some part of the tree medicinally, and know it as um-Zingula, or 

 um-Fongote. 



Plate 386. Fig. 1, panicle ; 2, flower. 



Plate 387. Fig. l,leaf; 2, colyx ; 3, base of corolla, showing insertion of 

 stamens ; 4, stamen, front view ; 5, same, back view ; 6, pistil ; 7, stigma ; except 

 fig. 1 and 2, all enlarged. 



