PLATE 502. 



SENECIO PANICULATUS, BERG. (Fl. Cap. Vol. Ill, p. 397). 

 Natural Order, COMPOSITE. 



A glabrous much branched undershrub. Stem erect, 1 to 3 feet high, 

 branches virgate, elongate, rough, leafy to base of inflorescence. Leaves alternate, 

 closely set on the branches, linear, finely and distantly serrate, minutely scabrous 

 between the serratures, and on midrib beneath, margins revolute ; 2 to 3| inches 

 long, 1 line wide. Inflorescence a loose corymb, its lower branches up to 6 or 7 

 inches long, upper gradually shorter, pedicels ^ to 1-| line long with a few minute 

 floral leaves. Heads discoid, many flowered, 3 to 7 lines diameter, buff coloured. 

 Involucre calycled with many subulate bracteoles ; involucral scales 16 to 24, dark 

 tipped, narrow and tapering. Pappus of many minutely rough white bristles in 

 several series. Corolla tubular, narrow at base, suddenly widening upwards, 

 5-toothed. Stamens 5, filaments dilated at apex, anthers truncate at base. Style 

 arms truncate. Achenes finely striate, pubescent between the striae. 



Habitat: NATAL: Coast only. Near Durban, Wood 553 ; 11006, September. 

 Also in Cape Colony. 



This plant is a native of and confined to South Africa, in the Flora Capensis 

 it is credited to Cape Colony only, but it is not at all uncommon in Natal near the 

 sea coast, but so far as known to us it does not occur in the midlands or upper 

 districts, it is a very variable plant as to foliage and size of the flower heads, the 

 form figured and described here being the variety " reclinatus " which is said in 

 the Flora Capensis to be t( usually more robust with larger flower heads, but 

 variable; leaves all linear-elongated, entire or the revolute margins toothed" 

 while the type has leaves " either all quite entire, or some entire and some 

 sparingly pinnati-partite, or all pinnati-partite, with few and distinct entire or 

 toothed lobes." 



Our plant is found in open ground and under light shade, and has no useful 

 properties so far as known to us. 



Fig. 1 , floret ; 2, stamens ; 3, style ; 4, achene ; 5, involucre and calycle ; all 

 enlarged. 



