PLA.TE 557. 



IPOMOBA WOODII, N. E. B. (Fl, Cap. Vol 4, Sec. II, p. 60.) 

 Natural Order, CONVOLVULACE^;. 



A very wide climbing plant, with large tuberous rootstock. Stems stout, 

 woody, reaching to 20 feet or more in length, the younger portions finely pubescent, 

 older glabrous. Leaves alternate, petiolate, orbicular cordate, up to 9 inches long 

 and broad, quite glabrous, the young ones purplish beneath, older dark green above, 

 lighter beneath, main veins prominent beneath, veinlets conspicuous, petiole 4-5 

 inches long, channelled above. Flowers axillary, in upper portions of the stem 

 solitary, in lower portion 1 -3 together, in still lower portion 3-8 together, cymosely 

 pedunculate, pedicels of the solitary flowers f-l inch long, peduncles of the cymes 

 1^-2 inches long, pedicels |-1 inch long, pedicels with two very fugitive and minute 

 bracts J inch above the base. Sepals 5, subequal, strongly imbricate, concave, the 

 outermost slightly larger, oblong-ovate, glabrous. Corolla rosy pink, glabrous, 

 funnel-shaped, 2|-3 inches long and wide, margins very indistinctly lobed. Sta- 

 mens 5, inserted at base of corolla tube, shorter than the style; anthers 2-celled, 

 dorsifixed, opening longitudinally. Ovary superior, 4-celled, cells 1-ovuled ; style 

 filiform, stigma globose, 2-lobed, capsule not seen. 



Habitat : NATAL : Zululand, 2,000 ft. alt. Wood 4146 ; 4864. 



This plant was found by the writer in a shady valley at edge of bush, the 

 leaves forming a dense mass for several yards, the stem lying on the ground. It 

 was quite leafless in the bush and was traced for some 6 or 8 yards to the large 

 underground tuber, which was dug out and brought to Durban, where it flowered 

 in the Botanic Gardens some years later. It is of rampant growth, but usually a 

 shy flowerer. I am not aware that it has been found in any other locality but that 

 in which it was first seen, and from whence the tubers were brought by the 

 Curator some years later. Unfortunately no ripe capsules or seeds have been seen 

 by us. 



Fig. 1 , a leaf ; 2, branch with inflorescence ; 3, calyx ; 4, portion of corolla 

 opened, showing stamens ; 5, disk, ovary and portion of style ; 6, style and stigma ; 

 7, cross section of ovary ; 8, pollen grain ; figs. 1 and 2 natural size, remainder en- 

 larged. 



