XIII. POLYGALE^. 19 



Capsule 2-celled, membranous, compressed, deliiscing at the 

 margins; seeds mostly pubescent. — Fl. Cap. i. p. 80. 



A cosmopolitan genus.— About 40 South African species (several recently 

 discovered at Natal, undescribed), dispersed. Shrubs, half-shrubs, perennial 

 or annual herbs. Juice very bitter, tonic. 



2. MUNDTIA, Kunth. 



Sepals, petals, and stamens as in Polygala. Style com- 

 pressed, thickened upwards, 2-lobed, the posterior lobe hori- 

 zontal, the anterior vertical. Fruit a fleshy, ovoid, 1-2-seeded 

 drupe. — Fl. Cap. \. p. 95. 



M. spinosa, a spinous, much-branched, rigid shrub, with oblong, ob- 

 ovate, cuneate or hnear, thick, glabrous leaves, and red or wliite flowers is 

 common throughout the colony. The succulent fruit is eaten by birds and 

 children. 



3. MURALTIA, Neck. 



Sepals 5, dry and membranous, subequal, the two lateral 

 somewhat longer than the rest. Petals and stamens as in 

 Poly gala. Capsule membranous, compressed, with 4 horns or 

 tubercles at its upper angles ; very rarely hornless.— i^Z. Cap. 

 1. p. 95. 



An endemic genus of upwards of 50 species. They are small but ri^id 

 shrubs or half-shrubs, with tufted or rarely scattered, rigid, mostlv pungent- 

 nmcronate, narrow, entire leaves. Flowers axillary, soHtary, subsessile or 

 pedicellate, bright purple, 3-bracted at base. 



4. SECURIDACA, Linn. 

 Calyx and stamens as in Poh/gala. Two lateral petals 

 attached to the base of the staminal tube, separate from the 

 keel, erect, connivent; keel about of equal length, concave, 

 helmet-shaped, erect or 3-lobed ; upper petals rudimentary 

 or 0. Anthers 2-celled. Ovary 1-celled, 1-ovuled. Fruit 

 samaroid, mdehiscent, hard or woody at base and often crested, 

 produced at the apex into a long or shortish win^r, — ^i Cap 

 ii. p. 585. ° ^' 



Shrubs or shrublets, often climbing ; natives of America, Africa and 

 Asia. Leaves mostly entire and 2-glanded. Racemes or panicles terminal 

 or axillary. S. oblongifolia, also a native of Abyssinia, occurs at Algoa 



Order XIV. PITTOSPOREiE. 



_ Flowers perfect, regular or suboblique. Sepals 5, separate, 

 imbricate. Petals 5, hypogynous, imbricate, longer than the 

 sepals, generally with an erect claw and spreadino- limb 

 Stamens 5, hypogynous, free, alternate with the petals • an- 

 thers versatile. Torus small, conical. Ovary 2- (rarely 3-5-) 



c 2 



