PLATE 543. 



VERNONIA ANGULIFOLIA, D.C. (Fl. Cap. Vol. Ill, p. 49.) 

 Natural Order COMPOSITE. 



A stout much branched herbaceous climber, probably perennial, the branches, 

 leaves and inflorescence very minutely puberulous, branches somewhat angular 

 and faintly striate. Flowers pinky white. Leaves petiolate, chiefly opposite, 

 occasionally alternate, varying much in shape, from ovate acuminate and quite 

 entire to deltoid-ovate with few obtuse or acute lateral angles on one or both sides, 

 to shortly and bluntly 3-lobed, or sometimes coarsely toothed, acute or obtuse, 

 cuneate at base, more or less decurrent on the petiole, 3-5-veined at base ; 1 to 2|- 

 inches long, f to 2 inches broad, petiole -^ to 1 inch long, flat or channelled 

 above, rounded beneath. Inflorescence paniculate, the panicles leafy, axillary or 

 terminal, the branches loosely corymbose; heads oblong, 6-10-flowered, homoga- 

 mous; involucral scales in two or three series, linear oblong, inner ones 2 lines 

 long, outer gradually shorter, obtuse with green keel, and membranous margins, 

 ciliate at apex, and for a short distance below it; pappus white, in two series, 

 inner ones longest. Corolla deeply 5-fid, the lobes linear. Achenes clothed with 

 long, white, silky hairs. 



Habitat: NATAL: Drege; Kmuss 223; Germrd 587; Plant 40; Gerrard fy 

 McKen 334; Berea, 1-200 feet alt., Wood 4875; Inanda, 1800 feet alt., Wood, 

 145; Berea, July, Wood 11687. 



A wide climbing plant, flowering profusely in June and July ; in the coast 

 districts it is common at edges of woods and similar places; it has also been 

 gathered up to at least 2000 feet above sea level, and probably extends further 

 than that in favourable situations ; the flowers are at first rather deep in colour, 

 fading with age to almost white, this being probably due to the situation with 

 regard to sunshine in which the plants are found. 



Fig. 1, involucre; 2, a floret ; 3, three of the stamens; 4, style and stigma ; 

 all enlarged. 



