PLATE 511. 



BBACHYSTELMA SANDERSONI, N. E. BROWN. (Fl. Cap. Vol. IV, p. 850-1.) 



Natural Order, ASCLEPIADE^. 



An erect imdershrub, reaching to 18 or 20 inches in height. Rootstock a 

 cluster of long fleshy, terete, or narrowly fusiform roots. Stem simple or occasionally 

 branched in upper portion, leafy above, naked in lower part, glabrous. Leaves 

 opposite, very shortly petiolate, linear, linear-oblong or oblong, margins entire, 

 minutely scabrous on margin and midrib beneath, otherwise quite glabrous. 

 Flowers fascicled in axils, solitary, or from 2 to 6 together, pedicels 1 to 3 lines 

 long, glabrous. Sepals 1 line long, lanceolate, acute, glabrous. Corolla gamo- 

 petalous, much shorter than staminal column, tube short, limb 5-lobed, lobes free 

 at apex, erect, 1^-2 -lines long, 1 line broad at base, ovate or oblong, acute, the 

 sides recurved forming a ridge down the inner face, surfaces glabrous, margins 

 ciliate with minute thick hairs, white, tipped and occasionally margined in upper 

 portion with pink. Corona double, outer divided into 10 erect teeth; arising 

 near base of staminal column, and equalling it in length, lobes linear, ciliate, and 

 covered with minute thick or papilla-like hairs, white ; inner corona-lobes oblong 

 or oblong linear, minutely puberulous with smaller hairs above, white. Pollinia 

 ascending, attached in pairs by a very short, broad caudicle; broadly oblong, 

 pellucid on inner margin from apex nearly to the caudicle. Follicles linear, 

 tapering towards apex, terete, glabrous, 4 to 6 inches long 1 to 1^ line wide in 

 centre. 



Habitat : NATAL: Tugela, Gerrard 1805 ; Wentworth, Sanderson 436 partly ; 

 Verulam, 300 to 500 feet alt., Wood 1161, November; Clairmont, 20 to 30 feet alt., 

 Wood 3906, December; Winkle Spruit, 30 to 50 feet alt., Wood 11009, November; 

 without precise locality, Gueinzius; Sanderson 915. 



A somewhat inconspicuous plant growing usually in sandy soil, and amongst 

 grass, it has never to our knowledge been collected far from the coast, and would 

 seem to be confined to Natal as no other records are given for it in the Flora 

 Capensis. It is named after the late John Sanderson who was at one time Pre- 

 sident of the Durban Botanic Society, and a collector of plants in the early days 

 of the colony. 



Fig. 1, calyx; 2, corolla; 3, corona; 4, portion of corona showing stamens, 

 inner view ; 5, a stamen ; 6, pollinia ; all enlarged ; 7, follicle, natural size. 



