PLATE 550. 



Senecio speciosus, Willd. (Fl. Cap. Vol. Ill, p. 362, sub. S. concolor D.C.) 



Natural Order CoMPOSiTiE. 



A perennial stemless herb. Root woody. Radical leaves petiolate, oblong- 

 spathulate, the lamina continued along the petiole as a conspicuous wing almost 

 or quite to the base, the whole leaf with petiole reaching to 12 inches in length, 

 and 2 to 3 inches in width in the widest part, margin very coarsely toothed and 

 ciliate with cellular hairs, both surfaces with similar, but more scattered hairs ; 

 stem leaves oblong, sessile, semi-stem-clasping, toothed, irregularly crenate or 

 more or less deeply lobed, or almost entire, with similar hairs, lowest ones about 

 6 inches long, uppermost reaching to about 2 inches. Flowering stem reaching 

 to 2 feet or more long, erect, terete, weak and more or less thickly covered with 

 semitransparent cellular hairs. Inflorescence terminal, corymbose, Idx, the 

 corymbs few-headed, pedicels 1 to 1-J inch long, hairy like the stems. Involucre 

 of many narrow pilose scales in one row, concrete in the lower portion, acuminate 

 and tinged with pink upwards, apex dark purple or withered, calyoled with a few 

 linear scales. Heads radiate, purple, ray florets 12 to 1 6, linear oblong, ^^ to f inch 

 long, spreading when open to 1^ or 2 inches diameter. Filaments a little dilated 

 just belo-w apex ; anthers obtuse. Achenes (young ones) puberulous. 



Habitat: Natal: Oueinzius; Sanderson; Clairmont, 20 to 30 ft. alt., Wood 

 in Colonial Herbarium 5481; Inanda, 1800 ft. alt., Wood 197. Also in Cape 

 Colony. 



This plant is described in the Flora Capensis as S. concolor, D.G., but is 

 certainly not that species, the true 8. concolor of De CandoUe has been collected 

 by the writer in the Mooi River district, but is not found in the coastland to our 

 knowledge. S. speciosus is not uncommon in the coast districts, and up to at 

 least 2000 feet alt. ; it is a handsome plant and well worthy of cultivation and 

 could no doubt be much improved ; there would seem to be two varieties of it, 

 differing chiefly in the cutting of the leaves and character of the pubescence. 



Fig. 1 , a radical leaf ; 2, inflorescence ; 3, a cauline leaf ; 4, involucre; 5, ray 

 floret; 6, disk floret; 7, three of the stamens; 8, style; figs. 1, 2, 3 natural size, 

 remainder enlarged. 



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