PLATE 539. 



HYDROPHTLAX CARNOSA, Sond. (Fl. Cap. Vol. Ill, p. 25.) 

 Natural Order RUBIAOEJI. 



A fleshy glabrous creeping herb. Stems decumbent; branching, often 

 several feet long, terete, dark coloured ; branches smooth, ascending, flattened and 

 deeply grooved on one face, remainder rounded, each ridge of the groove con- 

 tinuous or nearly so with the outer margin of the leaf above it. Leaves opposite, 

 decussate, oblong, acute, sessile, fleshy, inch long, -J inch broad; stipules with a 

 broad base and with the leaves forming a cup round the branch, sometimes acute, 

 often 2-3-or more toothed. Flowers white, dimorphic. Calyx tubular minutely 

 and irregularly lobed. Corolla salver-shaped, the tube villous internally, limb, 

 4-lobed, lobes oblong, shorter than tube, the whole flower ^ inch long, Stamens 

 4, inserted at the sinuses of the corolla ; anthers linear-oblong. Ovary inferior, 

 compressed, 2-celled, cells 1 -seeded; styles 2-lobed. Capsule oblong-ovate, 

 compressed, 3-lines long, 2 -lines broad, crowned by remains of the calyx. 



Habitat-- NATAL: Without precise locality, Gerrard $ McKen. Sea beach in 

 sand, May, Miss Franks, (Wood 11,683.) 



The genus Hydrophylax includes according to the Genera Plantarum three 

 species only, one widely dispersed in India, one in Madagascar, the other in Natal, 

 the generic name is derived from two words signifying water, and a keeper or 

 guardian, the plants always grow by the sea shore. 



Hydrophylax carnosa is described in the Flora Capensis, but the only localities 

 there given for it are " sandy coasts of Zitzikamma, Cooper," and Port Natal 

 Gerrard fy McKen" to which the above named locality may be added. In no 

 description of genus or species to which we have access is the fact of the plant 

 being dimorphic mentioned, though this is plainly shown by the artist on the 

 accompanying plate. 



Fig. 1, flower; 2, ovary and calyx ; 3, corolla opened short-stamened form; 

 4, style of same ; 5, long-stamened form, corolla opened ; 6, style of same ; 7, 

 stamen; 8, cross section of ovary; all enlarged. 



