3io Plants and their Ways in South Africa 



Cliffortia. Calyx 3-parted (sometimes 4). Corolla want- 

 ing. The flowers secrete no honey, but the stigmas are wind 

 pollinated. The staminate flowers are 

 often found a long distance from shrubs 

 bearing pistillate flowers. Leaves trifoliate, 

 or the three leaflets may be joined into 

 one. Leaves sometimes opposite. Many 

 have reduced leaves tipped with sharp 

 points. A common bush in the Colony 

 and Natal with small greenish axillary 

 flowers. 



Grielurn is a trailing plant with hoary 

 compound leaves, growing in sandy places 

 and salt ground. Calyx joined with the 

 5 -parted succulent fruit. Corolla regular, 

 5 -parted, with the 10 stamens borne at 

 the throat of the calyx (receptacle), tube. 

 Flowers are large and yellow. 



Agrimonia, a north temperate genus 

 has been introduced to this country. It 

 is a pest to eastern wool growers on ac- 

 count of the hooked bristles of the per- 

 sistent receptacle which surrounds the two achenes. 



Order LEGUMINOS^E. 



This order, the second largest in the world, with about 440 

 genera and 7000 species, is found in every kind of soil, in any 

 climate, and shows a corresponding variety in habit. Trees, 

 shrubs, herbs, erect, climbing, or prostrate occur. Because of 

 the bacteria which live in their roots, they can thrive in and en- 

 rich very poor soil. The plants climb by leaf tendrils, stem 

 tendrils, by twining, and by hooks. Leaves alternate, stipulate, 

 or sometimes opposite and ex-stipulate, and nearly always com- 

 pound. Fruit usually a legume, sometimes a lomentum. 

 Some pods explode and scatter their seeds. Sutherlandia has 

 inflated pods which catch the wind. The pods of Medicago 

 are furnished with hooks, which catch hold of the passer-by 

 and so obtain free rides for the seeds. 



FIG. 283. i, Flower 

 of Strawberry cut 

 through ; 2, front : 3, 

 back of stamen ; 4, 

 pistil ; a, ovary ; b, 

 style ; c, stigma. 

 (From Henslow's 

 " South African 

 Flowering Plants".) 



