Rhabdostigma.] l\x. rubiace^- (hiern). 131 



1. R. Kirkii, Hook. f. in Jleiiih. et Hooh. f. Gen. PI. ii. 109. 

 Branches glossy. Leaves elliptical, narrowed at both ends, thinly- 

 coriaceous, 3-4 by 1:J— 1 J in, ; lateral veins about 8 pairs, inconspicuous ; 

 petiole ^-\ in. ; stipules \ in. long, from a broad base. Flowers 

 •^ in. diam. ; pedicels ^-^ io., slender ; panicles 3-5 in. long ; bracteoles 

 small, subulate. Calyx glabrous. Corolla glabrous outside. 

 Mozaznb. Dlstr. Quiloa, Kirk! 



48. PENTANISIA, Harv. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. ii. p. 104. 



Calyx-tube campanulate, at lengt.h globose ; limb unequally 5 -4- 

 partite ; segments more or less elongated, subfoliaceous, subpersistent. 

 Corolla-tube elongated, slender, funnel-shaped above ; throat pubes- 

 cent or shaggy ; lobes 5-^, oval or ovate, obtuse, valvate in the bud. 

 Stamens 5-4, glabrous, inserted on the throat of the corolla, included 

 or exserted ; filaments short or obsolete ; anthers linear-oblong, fixed 

 at the back near the base. Disk fleshy, glabrous. Ovary 2- (veryi-arely 

 3-) celled ; style solitary (or very rarely two), slender, glabrous, equal- 

 ling or exceeding the corolla, entire or bifid ; stigma simple or subca- 

 pitate ; ovules solitary, pendulous from the top, anatropous. Fruit 

 small, indehiscent, subglobose, composed of 2 (or very i-arely o) carti- 

 laginous pyrenes. Seeds discoid, dorsally compressed ; umbilicus 

 apical, minute ; testa thin ; albumen fleshy ; embryo nearly the length 

 of the albumen and nearly as thick, compressed, radicle superior, ovate ; 

 cotyledons cordiform rather longer and broader than the radicle. — 

 Erect or ascending herbs from a woody perennial stock, with opposite 

 leaves, cleft stipules connate with the petiole or leaf-base, and dimor- 

 phic lilac flowers of moderate size clustered in terminal heads or, after 

 flowering, forming spikes. 



A genus of two or more species occurring in Natal or in other eastern districts of 

 the Cape Flora, and of the following. 



Pentanisia sp., T. Thorns, in Speke, Journ., App. p. 636, is an Asclepiad, Mar- 

 garetta rosea, Oliv. 



1. P. Schwelnfurthii, ZTierT^. Dwarf herb 3-6 in. high. Stems 

 simple or branched, partially pubescent. Leaves oval or oblong, ob- 

 tuse, narrowed to the sessile base, glabrous, subcoriaceous, pale green 

 on both sides, f-l^ by ^-f in. ; stipules 2-3 cuspidate, ^\ in. long. 

 Flowers about half an inch long, sessile, in branched heads. Calyx- 

 tube shortly and closely pubescent with pale hairs; lobes spathulate 

 lanceolate or oblong, obtuse or acute, puberulous, the longer ones 

 tV~tV ^^- long. Corolla pale lilac, glandular- puberulous outside, the 

 upper ones with exserted anthers, the lower ones with anthers included 

 in the down of the throat; lobes 5-4, about y^^j- in. long. Style soli- 

 tary (in one flower two styles occurred), very slender; stigma bifid or 

 entire. Ovary and fruit 2- or very rarely 3-celled. Fruit ^ by y^^ in., 

 puberulous. Seed -^^ in. long. Embryo -^^ in. long. 



XrUe Xiand. Dar Fertit, Schweivfurth ! 



Closely allied to the South African species but differs by the obtuse leaves and 

 puberulous shorter calyx-lobes without hispid hairs. 



