PLATE 571. 



BOTJCHBA CUNEIFOLIA, Schauer. (Fl. Cap. Vol. 5, Part 1, p. 201.) 

 Natural Order, VERBENACEJ:. 







A much branched undershrub, 1 2 to 18 inches high, with small white flowers. 

 Stems very short, erect, branches more or less tetragonal, with two opposite lines 

 of minute pubescence alternating in successive internodes. Leaves opposite or 

 sub-opposite, exstipulate, petiolate, broadly cuneate or oblong-cuneate, gradually 

 passing into the short petiole, rounded at apex, coarsely and acutely toothed in 

 upper portion for half to two-thirds of their length, lower portion entire, veins 

 pinnate, obscure, sparsely and minutely ciliate, otherwise nearly glabrous, -^ to 1^ 

 inch long by 3 to 8 lines wide. Inflorescence racemose, racemes lax, 3 to 6 inches 

 long, bracts linear subulate, minutely puberulous, 1-2 lines long, bracteoles 2, trian- 

 gular-subulate, ^ to ^ line long. Calyx tubular, 5-ribbed, 5-toothed, minutely 

 pubescent, 3 to 5 lines long, teeth ^ to ^ line long. Corolla tube long, slender, 

 widening to throat, curved, glabrous 6 to 9 lines long, lobes subequal, rounded, 

 emarginate at apex, glabrous, 2 to 3 lines long. Stamens 4, didynamous, inserted 

 on corolla tube, included, filaments short, anthers ovate, cells parallel. Ovary 2- 

 celled, cells 1-ovuled, ovule basal, erect. Style filiform, bent near apex, with a 

 minute tooth at the bend ; stigma club-shaped. Capsule oblong, enclosed in calyx 

 tube, hard, veiny, the calyx tube splitting longitudinally. 



Habitat : XATAL. Umkomaas, 1,500 feet alt. March, Wood 877; Camperdown, 

 2,000ft. alt., Wood in Govt. Herbarium 7101 October; Camperdown, 2,000 ft. alt., 

 March, Miss Franks (Wodd llb'G4.) ; near Durban, below 400 ft. alt., Drege; near 

 Mooi Kiver, Gerrard McKen 1245 



This genus includes 20 to 30 species, of which 13 are found in south and 5 in 

 tropical Africa, one of which is also in South Africa ; other species inhabit Bast 

 and West Indies. All the African species are low undershrubs, and so far as known 

 to us have no economic value, but the leaves of a South African species, B. ps^udo- 

 gervao, have been used in Brazil as a substitute for tea. Of the South African 

 species three only are found in Natal. 



Fig. 1, calyx, bract and bracteole ; 2, corolla tube opened, showing stamens ; 

 3, a stamen ; 4 pistil ; 5, cross section of ovary ; 6, split calyx and capsule ; 7, 

 capsule ; 8, longitudinal section of same ; all enlarged. 



