21 



57. Qardenia Rothmannia. Lin.— Branches and ttvigs 

 unarmed, brown, angular, rough, erect. Leaves on very short 

 stalks, opposite, oblong, acute, veined, entire, smooth, but with 

 hairy glands on the underface of the leaves, situated along the 

 midrib in the axils of the veins. Flowers terminal, solitary, 

 sessile, sweet-scented. Calyces cylindrical, ribbed, hairy within, 

 5-cleft, its seg7nents filiform, sharp-pointed ; Coro'la beil-shaped, 

 5 parted ; petals 5, pointed, reflexed, buff, sprinkled with purplish 

 dots. A^ithers 5 ; style one, thickened at top. Fruit ovate, fleshy, 

 costate, angular, smooth, 2-valved, 2-cellcd, many-seeded, black. 



Height of stem from 15—20, diameter from 1 — 1^ feet. Bark grey, 

 smooth. Wood very hard, strong, and tough. Used chiefly for tools, 

 axles, fellies, and other wagonwork like the preceding. 



This tine tree is to be met with in the aborighial woods of the George 

 and Uiteuhage districts. Katberg &c. Fl. January— February. 



5S. Plectronia Ventosa. Lin. ( SchapendroUetjes.) — Branches 

 brachiate, patent, spiny ; spines horizontal ; twigs quadrangular. 

 Leaves stalked, opposite, elliptic, smooth, almost leathery, entire, 

 pale on the lower surface. Flowers corymbose, axillary, greenish. 

 Calyx tubular, 5-toothed. Corolla funnel-shaped, 5 parted, 

 throat hairy. Stamens 5, filaments very short ; stigma capitate* 

 Drupe fleshy, didymous, compressed, excised, 2 locular ; cells 

 one-seeded. Cruse. Rub. Capens. tab. 2. 



Height from 15 to 20 feet ; diameter from 6 to 10 inches. Bark 

 whitish, smooth. Wood hard, close, heavy, and tough ; takes varnish 

 well, looks marble-like, and is veiy handsome. It will suit the joiner 

 for small and fancy furniture, and the wagonmaker for fellies, &c. The 

 fruit, though insipid, is eaten by the natives. 



Common in mountain ravines and forests throughout a great part of 

 the colony. Fl. October — November. 



59*. Plectronia Mundtiana, {Canthium Mundtianum. ChamJ) 

 (^Bock'Ash; Klipessse.) — Branches iorkeiij knotty; hranchlets 

 rather compressed. Leaves stalked, oval, smooth or downy, 

 one-coloured, membranous, blunt or slightly point jd ; petioles 

 somewhat channelled and shaggy on the upper side; stipides 

 ovate, mucronate. Flowers cymose. Cymes axillary, stalked, 

 many-flowered, shorter than the leaves. Calyx^ flowers and fruit 

 as in the preceding species. 



A shrub or middling tree, 12-15 feet high, and from 6-8 inches wide. 

 5arA thin, grey, rough ; TFoo^ yellowish-white, very hard and heavy. 

 Useful to turners for screws, tools, etc; to manufactures of mu:;ical 

 instruments, and for other purposes 



Grows in the forests of Plettenberg's Bay, the Tzitsikamma, in the 

 woody ravines of the Devil's mountain, &(•.. Flor. Nov— Dec. 



