PLATE 556. 



BEACHFSTELMA FLAVIDUM, Schltr. (Fl. Cap. Vol. IV. Sec. 1, p. 846.) 



Nat. Order, ASCLEPIADE^E. 



A slender tuberous rooted plant bearing greenish-yellow flowers. Tuber 

 rotund, strongly compressed, 1 to 2 inches diameter, roots few, a little thickened. 

 Stems several, branching, reaching to 2 inches in height, slender, puberulous, laxly 

 leafy. Leaves few, opposite, subsessile, erect or at maturity horizontally spreading, 

 lanceolate, acute, glabrous, 5 to 7 lines long, 1 to 2 lines wide. Inflorescence 

 axillary, flowers few together at the nodes, pedicels filiform, 2 lines long, 

 puberulous. Sepals 5, lanceolate, acuminate, 1 to 1|- line long, puberulous. 

 Corolla 2-| lines long, 5-lobed to two thirds or more to base, glabrous, light yellow, 

 lobes spreading, acuminate from a broad base. Corona lobes connate high up, 

 each 3-lobed, the lateral lobes minute ciliate, the central larger, ligulate, incurved, 

 obtuse, glabrous. Pollen masses ascending, solitary in each anther cell, pellucid 

 on inner margin in upper portion. Follicles terete, lanceolate, 2 inches long, 1 to 

 If line wide. 



Habitat: NATAL. Fairfield, Alexandra County, 2,200 ft., alt. Rudatis 68. 



Drawn from specimens in flower received from Mr. Rudatis October 1911, 

 specimens with ripe follicles were afterwards received, but unfortunately too late 

 to be shown in the drawing. 



This plant has so far as known to us only been collected by Mr. Rudatis, and 

 it would seem to be fairly common in the district where he is residing. 



Fig. 1 , flower ; 2, calyx ; 3, corona and staminal column ; 4, same, seen from 

 above ; 5, pollen masses ; 6, pistil ; all enlarged. 



