PLATE 572. 



SOHMIDBLIA AFRIOANA, D.C . (Fl. Cap. Vol. 1, p. 239. Sub.-S. LEUCOOAEPA.) 



Natural Order, SAPINDACE^E. 



A shrub or small tree reaching to 20 feet or more in height, with small white 

 unisexual flowers. Branches pale coloured, glabrous, lenticillate. Leaves alter- 

 nate, trifoliate, exstipulate, ovate ; common petiole, \ to 2 J inches long ; leaflets 

 shortly petiolulate, the terminal 3 to 4J inches long, 1 to If inch wide, tapering very 

 gradually to base, and very narrowly decurrent on the petiole, lateral leaflets 2 to 

 3 inches long, 1 to 1^ inch wide, all with very irregularly sharply or bluntly toothed 

 margins, veins pinnate, the main veins bearded on the axils on lower surface, the 

 whole leaf otherwise glabrous. Inflorescence racemosely paniculate, the panicles 

 shorter than the leaves, flowers small, unisexual. Oalyx of male flowers 4-parted, 

 segments concave, -J line long, yellow-green. Corolla of 4 petals, equalling calyx 

 lobes, white, bearded on the face. Stamens 8, inserted within the disk, filaments 

 filiform, free ; anthers 2-celled, introrse. Disk of four small, globose, orange- 

 coloured glands. Ovary rudimentary. Female flowers, calyx and corolla and disk 

 of male ; stamens 8, abortive and without pollen. Ovary didymous, style short, 

 thick, bifid, the lobes recurved. Fruit of t fleshy 1 -seeded carpels, one frequently 

 abortive, glabrous, smooth, and red when ripe. 



Habitat: NATAL: Drege; Gueinzius ; Williamson; Inanda, 1,800 ft. alt. Jan. 

 Wood 837; Berea, near Durban, 200 ft. alt. March, Wood 11804, and without 

 precise locality, McKen 526. Described from Wood's 11804. 



This genus includes 80 or more species, natives of tropical countries of the 

 new and old world. In S. Africa we have 5 species only, while 10 or 12 are found 

 in Tropical Africa. In the Flora Capensis 5 species are described. The first two 

 are 8. melanocarpa and 8. Leucocarpa ; these two are the same thing, and the fruits 

 are neither yellow nor black, but red when quite ripe, and its correct name is N. 

 Africana, D.C. $. natalensis, as given in the Flora Capensis, is a synonym of 8. 

 erosa, and 8. Dregeana of 8. monophylla, while 8. Behmanniana is a species de- 

 scribed since the publication of the Flora Capensis, and these, with 8. decipiens, 

 are the 5 Natal species. In Sim's " Forest Flora of Cape Colony," it is said that 

 in tropical West Africa and Abyssinia, where this tree also occurs, " the fruits are 

 said to be used as a remedy against Tapeworm ; the dried fruits are pounded, 

 mixed with flour, and then made into cakes." The Zulu name for the tree is "in- 

 Gala," but I cannot learn that its fruits are, used in any way, and the wood is too 

 small to be of much value. 



Fig. 1 , portion of inflorescence ; 2, female flower ; 3, a petal ; 4, female flower, 

 calyx and petals removed; 5, cross section of ovary; 6, ripe berry; 7, male flower; 

 8, same, calyx removed ; 9, same, petals removed ; 1 0, stamen, back and front view ; 

 11, pollen grain; Fig. 6 natural size, remainder enlarged. 



