Aleclra.] xcn. scrophulariace.e (hemsley and skan). 



363 



axils of the leaves or bracts, sessile or very shortly stalked, with two 

 small bracteoles close under the calyx. 



Species many, the others in Madagascar, Tropical Asia and South America. 



Several recent writers on the Scrophnlariaeece have reduced Alectra to Melasma, 

 without, so far as we know, discussing the reasons. Aleclra was founded on A. 

 capensis, Thunb., which has subsessile flowers; a calyx that does not become in- 

 flated in fruit ; a striped, marcescent, persistent corolla, and a clavate, recurved 

 style. Appaiently all the species of Aleclra, as here limited, are root-parasites. 

 Melasma was founded on the South African M. scabra, Berg., which has distinctly 

 stalked flowers ; the calyx grows out very much in fruit; the corolla is early 

 deciduous, and the style is exserted from the calyx. The American species presents 

 most of the same characteristics. It is true, however, that the distinctive characters 

 given are not always all constant; but it seems better to follow Eentham in retain- 

 ing both genera. With the exception of A. capensls, the species of Alectra have 

 relatively much smaller flowers than those of Melasma ; and it is impossible to give 

 the shape of the corolla, and only approximately its size, from dried specimens. 

 Apparantly the expansion is of very short duration, when it shrivels and twists up 7 

 enclosing the stamens and style. 



The species of Melasma are not any of them root-parasites so far as we can 

 tell. 



Although we have taken a different view from previous writers of the limits of 

 some of the species of Alectra, we are not satisfied that we have always errived at 

 correct conclusions. The following key leaves much to be desired, but it is the best 

 we could make from the materials, which in several instances consist of a single im- 

 perfect specimen. 



* Almost leafless ; drying black. 



Filaments bearded ; anther-cells not apiculate. 

 Dwarf fleshy- coloured stems ; leaves reduced to 

 small scales. 

 Plant deep crimson calyx-lobes apiculate 

 Plant orange-purple ; calyx-lobes obtuse 

 Plant purple-red ; calyx-lobes obtuse 

 A foot or more high bearing few small leaves. 

 Stems simple or branching only from the 

 base. 

 Slender ; flowers few, relatively small 

 llobust ; flowers numerous, relatively large . 

 Stems bearing a number of slender branches 

 near the middle ..... 

 Filaments glabrous ; anther-cells obtuse. 



A foot or more high, bearing few, small leaves. 

 Stems angular. 



Leaves less than 1 in. long 

 Leaves more than 1 in. long 

 Stems terete ...... 



A. atrosanguinea. 

 A. Welwitschii. 

 A. Bainesii. 



A. kil imanclj arica . 

 A. parvifolia. 



6. A. Kirkii 



A. parasitica. 



A. hirsuta. 



A. hippocrepandra . 



Leafy. 



Anther-cells not apiculate. 

 Filaments bearded. 



Stems simple ; leaves 



acuminate 

 Stems slender, branched ; 

 lanceolate-obtuse . 



linear-lanceolate, 

 leaves elliptic, or 



10. A. lancifolia. 

 A. picta. 



11 



