Gnidia.] cxvm. thymel^ace^ (pearson). 227 



27. G. Butayei, De Wild. Etudes Fl. Bas et Moyen Congo, i. 170 

 An erect plant about 15 in. high; branches slender. Leaves scattered, 

 linear, glabrous, narrowed into the petiole, cuneiform at the apex, 

 J-f in. long, |-1 lin. broad. Heads terminal, not more than 

 15-flowered ; involucral bracts 6-7, oval, acute, 1 J-2 lin. long, 1 lin. 

 broad. Flowers 4-merous, reddish when dry. Calyx-tube slender, 

 filiform, villous below the articulation, 8-4 lin. long; lobes oval, acute, 

 two opposite ones bearing on the lower side a tuft of erect white hairs, 

 J lin. long. Petals much shorter than the calyx-tube. 



Kower Guinea. Lower Congo, Gillet, 1989. 



Scott-Eliiot, 8131, 8128, from Karagwe, German East Africa, represent a Gnidia 

 apparently iiUied to G. oliveriana, Engl. & Gilir. The material in the Kew herbarium 

 is, however, insufficient for satisfactory description. 



3. LASIOSIPHON, Fresen.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen, PI. iii. 197. 



Flowers hermaphrodite, 5-merous. Calyx-tube articulated and finally 

 rupturing above the level of the ovary, in a few species continuous. 

 Petals alternating with and usually very much shorter than the calyx- 

 lobes, entire, incised or divided to the base (in 1 species absent). 

 Stamens 10, in 2 whorls ; those of the upper whorl shortly exserted ; 

 anthers oblong or linear. Disc or very minute. Ovary sessile, 

 1 -celled ; style slender ; stigma capitate. Fruit dry, small, enclosed in 

 the persistent base of the perianth. Seed-testa crustaceous ; albumen 

 scanty or ; cotyledons rather thick. — Shrubs, frequently large and with 

 silky leaves and stems. Leaves opposite or scattered. Flowers densely 

 crowded at the apices of the branches in sessile or peduncled heads. 

 Oalyx-tube usually silky-pubescent. 



Species numerous, chietiy in South Africa ; five or six in Madagascar and one in 

 India. 



Petals 0. 



Shrub 7 ft. high, with leaves \-^ in, broad . . 1. L. Fatkei. 



Ghtucous shrub, 2 ft. high, with distant linear leaves . 2. L. polycephalus. 

 Glabrous shrub, 1 ft. high, with crowded linear leaves . 3. L. somalensis. 

 Petals present. 



Heads few-fiowered (6-15). 



Ovary glabrous . . , . . , , 4. L. Fischer i. 



Ovary puberulous in the upper half . . . 5. X. Emini. 



Ovary villous . . . . . . . Q, L. genistifolius. 



Heads many-flowered. 



Leaves glabrous, glabrescent or puberulous. 

 Arborescent. 



Young leaves glabrous , 

 Young leaves silky-tomentose 



7. L. glaucus. 

 9. X. Bivce. 



8. L. Kraussii, 



An under shrub, 1-2 ft. high 

 Leaves densely pubescent or villous. 

 Arborescent 

 Undershrubs. 



Articulation above middle of calyx-tube . . 10. L. Passargei, 



9. L. Sivce. 



