99Q 



~~ ,_-" ~ 



Noaea spinosissima L. 



An undershrub which prefers stony soils (on mountains). 

 It is much branched and forms a thick, spiny, globular 

 shrub; the branches die down almost to the ground and 

 arise from a lower, lignified long-lived part. The leaves are 



Fig. 55. Acanihophyllum elatius. A, Leaf in tranverse 



section ; Sclerenchyma in black ; JV, Veins. B, Tissues 



from the lower side of A. A, X 77; B, X 203. 



long, triangular and pointed like a spine. They all subtend 

 thorn-shoots which attain a length of 3 6 centimetres and 

 these in their turn frequently bear lateral thorn-shoots. 



Flowering season October, the flowers being closely sur- 

 rounded by bracteoles. The fruit is a nut enclosed in a 

 winged perianth. 



