PLATE 588. 



BRACHYSTELMA FRANKS^, N. B. Brown, nov. sp. 

 Nat. Order, ASCLEPIADE.E. 



A perennial branching herb, 6 to 10 inches high. Rootstock a cluster of 

 thick fleshy more or less club-shaped roots. Stem erect, branching throughout 

 from the base, 1 to 1 line thick, usually with a line of minute scattered hairs down 

 one side, otherwise glabrous. Leaves opposite, spreading, f to If inch long, J to 

 2-| lines broad, linear, subacute at the apex, shortly cuneate at the subsessile or 

 very shortly petiolate base, minutely scabrous along the midrib beneath, and 

 slightly scabrid-ciliate on the margins, otherwise glabrous. Flowers in pairs or 

 sometimes solitary, lateral at the nodes, Pedicels 3 to 5 lines long, slender, 

 glabrous. Sepals 1 line long, linear-lanceolate, acute, glabrous. Corolla rather 

 more than inch long, 5-lobed nearly to the base, white tinged with pink, 

 apparently dull purple when dried, ciliate on the basal half of the lobes with 

 minute, but very stout or inflated, pink tinged hairs, otherwise glabrous, tube 

 about f line long, lobes erect, free, with their sides folded back so as to form an 

 acute keel on the inner face when flattened out, 3 lines long, 1^ line broad, oblong, 

 acute ; outer corona of 10 linear subobtuse teeth ^ to -f line long, slightly curved 

 towards each other in pairs, and at the same time slightly incurved, but without 

 any indication of a twist, rough with minute papillae on the back and margins, 

 white. Inner corona twice as long as the outer corona, consisting of 5, erect, flat, 

 linear obtuse lobes, 1 to 1J line long, white. 



Habitat: NATAL, near Camperdown, 2,000 ft. alt. Miss Franks, (Wood 11721). 



" I have very much pleasure in dedicating this interesting species to its dis- 

 coverer, Miss Millicent Franks, who has so ably assisted Mr. Medley Wood in his 

 labours, and to whom we are indebted for many admirable drawings published in 

 Natal Plants. It is closely related to B. longifolium, N.E.B., and it might possibly 

 at a casual glance be mistaken for that species, but it is certainly distinct, differing 

 in having smaller flowers, with shorter and proportionately much broader corolla- 

 lobes, and may possibly differ in colour, the outer corona has stouter and more 

 conspicuously papillate lobes, which are destitute of the peculiar half-twist 

 characteristic of those of B. longifolium, and the inner corona-lobes are shorter 

 than in that species." N. B. Brown. 



Fig. 1 , flower ; 2, calyx ; 3, corolla lobe ; 4, corona ; 5, outer corona lobe ; 6, 

 inner corona lobe, and stamen ; 7, same, front view ; 8, pistil ; 9, pollen masses ; 

 all enlarged. 



