﻿Stem erect, hollow, stout, according to Von Hohnel 4-15 ft. 

 high, but terminating in a long simple spike-like bracteate raceme 

 of dark violet flowers. Leaves linear or narrow lanceolate, cuspi- 

 date, villose, arranged in a basal rosette. Bracts linear, with 

 ciliated margins, 4-6| in. long, about ten times longer than the 

 flowers. ^ Flowers shortly pediceUate, under an inch long^ Calyx 



f-i *in. long, longer than the tube. The flowers and bracts are 

 very different from those of L. Gregoriana. Petals dark violet, 

 becoming free towards the apex, but not free to tbe base, as in 

 L. Bhynchopetalum . Staminal column slightly pubescent, joined, 

 except at the base ; lower anthers bearded, 2-2£ lines long. Stigma 

 bifid. 



The long narrow ciliate bracts, about ten times longer than the 

 flowers, clearly distinguish this species. The specimens of this 

 plant seen by Dr. Gregory reached a height of about 8 ft., and 

 were growing at an altitude of from 11,400 ft. to slightly under 

 13,000 ft. on the south-west side of the mountain. 



Lobelia column aris Hook. fil. is very distinct from any of the 

 other African species. It seems to have more affinity with the 

 plants constituting the genus Tupa of G. Don, coming from Chili, and 

 with Lobelia excel sa Leschen., a common species of the mountains 

 of Southern India and Ceylon, which is figured in Wight, Icones, 

 tabs. 1173-1174. 



I append a key to the African species of this section of Lobelia. 

 Their geographical distribution is of interest, as it will be seen that 

 apparently each of the big northern ranges of mountains in Tropical 

 Africa has its peculiar species. Two species are known from the 

 mountains of Abyssinia, one from the Cameroons and Fernando Po, 

 two from Mt. Kenia, and two from Kilimanjaro. This contrasts 

 strongly with the distribution of such a plant as, for instance, 

 Viola abyssitiica Hochst, where we have one and the same species 

 occurring on all the ranges. We await with interest the result of 

 the explorations of the other high mountains in north Tropical 

 Africa, such as Mt. Elgon and Mt. Euwenzori. 



As will be seen, characters founded on the bracts have princi- 

 pally been relied upon for distinguishing the species. So many 

 differential characters exist, not only in the flowers, but also in the 

 leaves, that either of these organs might have been used instead. 

 The behaviour of the petals, for instance, in the species treated of, 

 ag has already been stated, is strikingly different. 



© Bracts ovate, lanceolate-elliptical or ovate-lanceolate, 

 -f- Bracts glabrous. 

 * Pedicel terete. 



L. Deckenii Hemsl. 



Hab. Mt. Kilimanjaro, Decken, Kersten, Von Hohnel, H. H. 

 Johnston \ 



* * Pedicel ancipitous. 

 L. Tatloeiana, n. sp. 



Hab. Mt. Kilimanjaro, alt. about 10,000 ft., Taylor 1 



