378 Lxxiii. COMPOSITE (OLIVER AND hiern). [Wedelta. 



mucronate- acute. AcTaenes obovoid-oblong, somewhat compressed, 

 strigose-hairy, abruptly terminating in a short neck. Outer pappus 

 composed of 2 rather long aristae ; inner of several little scales. — Wirt- 

 genia frutescens, Schultz Bip. in Schweinf. et Aschers. Enum. p. 287 

 (1876, without description). 



Nile land. Abyssinia, atHabab, rare, August, 1872, Hildehrandt. 



The description is taken from Vatke, I. c. ; the plant may prove identical with the 

 preceding species. 



Verhesina ciliata, Schura. Beskr. Quin. PI. p. 391, from Guinea, is unknown to us. 



61. ASPILIA, Thouars; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. ii. p. 371. 



Capitula heterogamous, radiate ; ray-florets neuter, ligule ra*rely 

 exceeding ^ in. often much shorter. Involucre hemispherical or cam- 

 panulate ; bracts 2-8-seriate, outer more or less herbaceous, occasionally 

 foliaceous, inner dry passing into the conduplicate paleae of the recep- 

 tacle. Anther-base entire or minutely 2-dentate. Achenes obovoid 

 or oblong, pappus cupuliform with or without 2-3 setae, sometimes 

 separated from the achene by a constriction. — Scabrid or hispid herbs 

 with opposite leaves and terminal solitary or loosely cymose heads of 

 medium size with a yellow whitish purple or chocolate-coloured ray. 



A considerable genus common to the tropics of both hemispheres. The following 

 species appear to be endemic. 

 Flowers yellow. Achenes usually spotted ( Wirtgenia). 

 Uppermost leaves not inrolucrate. 

 Achenes furnished with two apical setae of moderate 

 size. 

 Outer involucral bracts falling short of the disk- 

 florets, Setae of the achenes ^ in. long . , 1. A. multiflora. 

 Outer involucral bracts equalling or exceeding the 

 disk-florets. Setae of the achenes ^| in. 

 long. 

 Strigose. Leaves cuneate at base. Peduncles 



ranging up to 2 in 2. A. Schimperi. 



Hispid. Leaves mostly rounded at base. Pe- 

 duncles usually short 3. .4. abt/ssinica. 



Setae of the achenes very short or obsolete. 

 Leaves ovate or oval. 



Outer involucral scales ovate or lanceolate, 



about equalling the disk-florets . . . . i. A. latifolia. 

 Outer mvolucral scales linear-lanceolate, shorter 



than the florets b. A. Smithiana. 



Leaves linear. 



Outer involucral scales obtuse Q. A. angtistifolia. 



Outer involucral scales acute ^ . . 7. A. linearifolia. 



Uppermost leaves involucrate %. A. riidis. 



Florets of the ray white or pale red. Achenes indistinctly 



sipotted (Coronocarpus) 9. A. hdianthoides. 



Florets of the ray dark purple. Achenes not spotted 



(Dipterotheca) 10. A.Kotschyi, 



1. A. multiflora, 0. 8c R. Slender subscabrous herb with 

 spreading branches. Leaves ovate or lanceolate, obtusely acuminate, 

 denticulate, suddenly narrowed near the base, shortly petiolate, f-lf 

 by ^— I in., strigulose j petioles -^-g in. Capitula campanulate, ^ in, 



