Gerhera.] lxxiii. coMPOSiTiE (oliver and hiern). 445 



lOG. GERBERA, Gronov. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. ii. p. 497. 



Capitula heteron^amous radiate ; ray-floreta usually $ . Involucre 

 turbinate or broadly canipanalate, bracts pauciseriate, imbricate, linear 

 or linear-lanceolate, not rigid. Receptacle naked. Ray-florets lignlate, 

 with an inner short 2-partite lip ; disk-florets 2-labiate. Anther-base 

 tailed. Style-branches linear or oblong rather obtuse. Achenes some- 

 what compressed, more or less beaked in our species, with 5 or more 

 longitudinal ribs ; pappus setaceous, setae barbellate or smooth, 1- or 

 pauciseriate. — Acaulescent herbs with oval radical leaves and 1-headed 

 scapes. 



The species are chiefly South African. 

 Eay-florets much exceeding the involucre. Leaves ohtu'^e at 



Ivase 1. G. ahyasinica. 



Ray-florets nearly as short as the involucre. Leaves attenuate 



at base • 2. 6r. inloselloides. 



1. G-. abyssinica, Schultz Bip. in Herb. Schimp. Abyss, i. n. 103. 

 Rootstock thick, cottony above. Leaves oval, rounded or mucronate 

 at the apex, obtuse or excavated at the base, sinuous-denticulate, gla- 

 brescent above, pubescent below with short curly hairs, membranous, 

 1^4 by f-l^ in. besides petiole ranging up to 2 in. long. Scapes 

 solitary or 2-3, ranging to 15 in., naked, more or less shaggy. Capitula 

 |-1 in. long, erect. Involucral bracts narrowly lanceolate, acute, more 

 or less shaggy, not exceeding ^ in. long. Ligules much exceeding the 

 involucre. Achenes somewhat hairy, tapering at apex. Pappus sub- 

 rufous. — A. Rich. Fl. Abyss, i. p. 458. 



lOrile :Laiid. Abyssinia, *Sc^m/>gr/ Q. pUlofif 

 Abyssinian name, Kuetzli-ena-Dekala. 



2. G, piloselloides, Cass, in Diet. Sc. Nat. xviii. p. 461. Root- 

 stock thick, silk^^-tomentose. Leaves oval, rounded at the apex, 

 attenuate at base into a petiole ranging up to 1^ in. long or more, 

 quite entire or repand-denticulate, glabrate or sparsely pilose above, 

 softly pilose beneath, submembranous, 1^6 in. or more including the 

 petiole. Scapes solita,ry or 2-4, ranging up to a foot or 15 in. high, 

 pilose-tomentose or at length subglabrate, more or less thickened 

 towards the apex, nude or occasionally bearing a linear scale near the 

 middle. Capitula J-1 in. long, erect. Involucral bracts linear, taper- 

 ing upwards, tawny-shaggy, acute, some nearly equalling the uniseriate 

 ra3--flowers. Ligules purple outside, white inside. Ripe achenes long- 

 beaked, papillose. Pappns subrufous. — DC. Prodr. vii. p. 16 ; Harv. 

 Fl. Cap. iii. p. 522 ; Arnica piloselloides, Linn. PI. Afr. Rar. n. 73 

 (1760); G. ovalifolia, UC. I.e. p. 17; G. Schiwperi, Schultz Bip. in 

 Herb. Schimp. Abyss, i. n. 185 ; A. Rich. Fl. Abyss, i. p. 458. 



MTile Xiand. Abyssinia, Schimper! Q. Dillon, Petit. 



South Central? South African Gold Field, 5«zwf5/ 



ri^ozaxnb. Bistr. Usagara Hills, Speke and Grant I (a poor specimen). 



Occurs also widely spread in the Cape Flora, Madagascar and temperate India. 



