PLATE 542. 



EETTHRINA OAFFEA, Thunb. (Fl. Cap. Yol. 2, p. 236.) 

 Natural Order LEGUMINOS^:. 



A tree 20 to 50 feet in height. Branches pale coloured, rugose, prickly, the 

 prickles dark coloured, up to inch or more long, broad based, usually a little 

 curved, very sharp. Leaves clustered near ends of the twigs, trifoliolate, common 

 petiole reaching to 8 inches in length, unarmed, the terminal leaflet 2 inches 

 above the lateral pair and bearing two small glands on its upper surface at the 

 junction of the petioles of the lateral leaflets, which are sub-rhomboid with 

 an obtuse apex, quite entire, glabrous, 2J to 3^ inches long and broad, the 

 terminal leaflet oblate and more or less cuneate at base, 2^ to 3| inches long, 

 3^ to 4 1 broad, entire, glabrous. Inflorescence racemose, the racemes densely 

 many-flowered, the flowers crowded at apical portion of the peduncle which is 

 3 to inches long, inch thick, terete, velvetty-puberulous, dark brown. Calyx 

 tubular, more or less distinctly 2-lipped, brown velvetty externally, 4 to 5-lines 

 long. Corolla papilionaceous, bright scarlet, vexillum conduplicate, 2 inches long, 

 1 inch broad when expanded, ensiforrn ; alse oblong, curved, 2 to 5-lines long, 

 yellow-green; carina broadly obovate, equalling 1 the alse. Stamens 10, exserted, 

 diadelphous, the vexillary filament free to base; anthers linear-oblong, 2-celled, 

 dorsifixed. Ovary stipitate. Legume few seeded, moniliform. Seeds scarlet, 

 hilum black. 



Habitat : NATAL : A common tree in coast and midland districts. 



One species of this genus, E. tomentosa was figured and described in this work, 

 Vol. IV, Plates 384, 385, the species here figured is a much more common one in 

 coast and midland districts, and is commonly known as " Kafir Boom," and its 

 native name is Umsinsi; the roots of most of the species are large, often larger 

 than the stems, the wood is very soft, and the only reason why this species is 

 grown is either on account of its very ornamental flowers, or for posts in the 

 ground as it easily takes root, and is free from the attacks of termites. A variety 

 is found whose flowers are of a dingy white, but it is merely a curiosity. We 

 have two other species in Natal, viz., E. Humianci, a veiy handsome shrub, and 

 E. Zeyheri, an upland species, with an enormous rootstock, apparently sending up 

 leafy flowering shoots in the summer which in most localities die down in the 

 winter. The leaves of E. caffra and probably of some of the other species also 

 are commonly attacked by a gall producing insect, most likely one of the 

 Hymenoptera. Mr. Claude Fuller says of it " the interesting feature of this plant 

 " gall is that it increases after the maker has left it. This may be more or less 

 " a natural effect, but as in the untenanted galls, thrips and mites both abound, 

 " it is possible that the growth of the galls subsequent to the emergence of 

 "the wasp is due to these other creatures." 



Fig. 1 , upper portion of branch with raceme ; 2, a leaf ; 3, calyx ; 4, vexillum ; 

 5, ala ; 6, carina ; 7, stamens ; 8, pistil ; 9, legume ; 10, seed ; figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 

 9, 10 natural size; figs. 3, 7, 8 enlarged. 



