43 



broad, ovate, pointed, entire, coriaceous, nervy, trans- 

 versely veined, smooth, involute at base, dotted 

 beneath, stalked. Scape simple, erect, streaked, race- 

 mose, many-flowered. Flowers pedicellate, bracteate, 

 white. 



The scarlet coloured tuber of this species, which grows 

 on the sides of the Lion's Rump, near Cape Town and else- 

 where, is very muculent, and used externally, in abrasions 

 of the skin and in superficial ulcers. It is also employed 

 by the Mohamedans, in the form of decoction, in amenorr- 

 hoea. Its Cape name is Baviaans-oren. 



KICHARDIA. Kth. 



(^AroidecB.) 

 XXI. — 1. MONOECIA ANDROGYNIA. LIN. SYST. 



94. Richardia africana. Kth. Root thick, fleshy. 

 Leaves radical, glossy, arrow-shaped, cordate at base, 

 stalked ; leaf-stalks sheating, clasping the scape ; scape 

 nearly three-cornered, erect ; spathe petal-like, hooded, 

 covering the flower-bearing spadix. Fruit a berry. 



More than a century ago, this hardy plant, the Ethiopian 

 Callttf has, on account of its large, ornamental, white, cap- 

 like spathe, been cultivated in all the gardens of Europe. 

 In this Colony, where it is indigenous, the fresh leaves, 

 when appHed warm to parts affected with gout or rheuma- 

 tism, allay the pain by producing local perspiration. The 

 roots afford good nourishment for the porcupine (Hystrix 

 cristata) Yster-vark, and therefore probably, this conspicuous 

 plant has received the Cape vernacular, but ugly name of 

 Varkens-blaren (pig's-leaves.) 



MOHRIA. Sw. 



Filices. 

 XXIV. — CRYPTOGAMIA. LIN. SYST. 



95. Mohria thurifraga. Sw, Caudex creeping, 

 fibrous. Stipe filiform, hispid, erect Fronds bipin- 

 nate, covered beneath with chaffy scales. Pinnce alter- 

 nate, stalked ; pinnules ovate, the upper fruit-bearing- 

 ones, crenate ; the barren-ones deeply incised. 



This fern grows abundantly on the Cape Mountains- 

 The plant, when bruised, is fragrant and smells of Oli- 



