PLATE 559. 



AsoLEPiAS PBLTIGBRA, Schltr. (FI. Cap. Vol. 4, Section 1, p. 674.) 

 Natural Order, Asolbpiadb^. 



Eootstock, much elongated, reaching to 18 inches below the surface of the 

 ground. Stem simple, solitary, ] to 3 feet high, puberulous above, glabrous below, 

 internodes 1 to 2^ inches long. Leaves 2 to 4-g- inches long, subsessile, | to 2 lines 

 broad, linear, acute, truncate at base, widely spreading or curved upwards, or occa- 

 sionally reflexed, scabrous above and on the midrib below. Inflorescence umbellate, 

 umbels 2-5, axillary and terminal, sometimes terminal only, 2-6 flowered ; peduncles 

 1^ to 1 inch long, pubenilous like the pedicels which are -I to | inch long. Sepals 

 1^-1| line long, -f- to f line broad, ovate-lanceolate, acute, pubescent. Corolla 5- 

 lobed, lobes 4 to 4-| lines long, 2| to 3 lines broad, elliptic or elliptic-oblong, with 

 a very minute notch at apex, spreading, pubescent beneath, glabrous above, dull 

 greenish white on inner surface, dull maroon on outer surface. " Corona-lobes 

 arising at base of the staminal column shorter and adnate to it, 2 to 2^ lines high, 

 oblong in side view, dorsally divided to the base, from which arises an erect lobe 

 shaped like a fish tail and reaching to about half-way up," fleshy in fresh speci- 

 mens, the whole lobe bluish purple ; " staminal column 2f to 3 lines long ; anther 

 appendages half-orbicular, obtuse, inflexed over the margin of the slightly de- 

 pressed very light green " style apex. Follicles fusiform, 2f inches by 4 lines in 

 the thickest part pubescent. 



Habitat: Natal. Near Oakford, Inanda district, under 1,000 ft. alt. Wood 

 362, November 1878; Umzumbi 1-200 ft. alt. April, 1884, {Wood in Government 

 Herbarium 879) near Verulam, /. 8. Martindale, November, 1910. 



A slender herbaceous perennial bearing rather pretty flowers ; it was until 

 lately known as Oomphocarpus peliigetus, Dietr. and was figured in Harvey's 

 " Thesaurus Capensis," which was published in 1859 as Oomphocarpus truncaius, 

 Dene. , where the colour of the flowers is said to be " purple or raspberry and 

 cream." It would seem in Natal to be a rather rare species, but is more plentiful 

 in the Cape Colony, and probably in the Transvaal colony also. 



Fig. 1, calyx; 2, corona and staminal column; 3, corona lobe; 4, anther; 5, 

 pollen masses ; 6, pistil ; 7, follicle ; 8, tuber ; figs. 7 & 8 nat. size, remainder en- 

 larged. 



