PLATE 525. 



IMPOMOEA FIOIFOLIA, LINDL. (Fl. Cap. Vol. IV, Sec. 2, p. 64.) 

 Natural Order, CONVOLVULAOB^. 



A climber bearing large mauve-pink flowers. Roots a little thickened, not 

 tuberous. Stems terete, slender, wide climbing, pilose with whitish hairs ; much 

 branched. Leaves alternate, petiolate, exstipulate, 3-lobed, terminal lobe longest, 

 acute or acuminate, mucronulate, lateral ones rounded to the cordate base, with a 

 minute mucro at the most prominent part of the upper margin ; margins more or 

 less undulate or crenate ; up to 4 inches long by 3J inches wide; upper surface 

 with numerous short scattered and strongly deflexed hairs, under surface of 

 mature leaves glabrous ; veins and veinlets prominent beneath ; petiole 3 to 3 J 

 inches long with a few very minute hairs. Peduncles 3 to 5-flowered, pedicels 

 very short; bracts linear-lanceolate, densely hirsute, the basal portion much 

 widened with the rounded edges incurved. Sepals lanceolate, acuminate, hirsute, 

 ^ inch long. Corolla funnel-shaped, spreading to 2 inches or 2J inches wide and 

 long, pink, becoming deep red-purple at base of tube, glabrous. Stamens 5, on 

 corolla tube, included, anthers linear-sagittate, dorsifixed, 2-celled. Ovary 

 superior, 2-3-celled, cells 2-seeded; style equalling the stamens, stigma bilobed. 

 Capsule globose, glabrous, 4-seeded, seeds rounded on outer side, angled by pres- 

 sure on inner side, and with a few cobwebby hairs on margins. 



Habitat: NATAL: Umlazi River Heights, Drege ; near Durban, Botanic Gardens 

 Distribution 494 (Wood 3091); Nonoti, Gerrdrd 1328; Inanda 1800 feet alt., 

 Wood 87; near Durban 150 feet alt., April, Wood 11092. 



This plant has until lately been known as Ipomoea holosericea, E.M., but that 

 name according to the Flora Capensis is now a synonym. It is a very common 

 plant on the coast and exists at an altitude of at least 2000 feet above sea level ; 

 the handsome flowers are borne in great abundance, and in the season the edges 

 of woods and similar places are bright with their colour, as the stems and branches 

 hang in festoons from the trees and shrubs. It is stated in the Flora Capensis 

 that the roots are tuberous, but we do not find that to by the case, and the plant 

 is an annual. I. ficifolia is also a native of Brazil, and is cultivated in Europe. 



Fig' 1, calyx; 2, lower portion of corolla opened, showing stamens; 3, base 

 of filament ; 4, disk ; 5, pistil ; 6, cross section of ovary ; 7, capsule ; 8, stipule ; 

 9, bract ; Fig. 7, natural size, remainder enlarged. 



