PLATE 576. 



Cbassula rbcueva, N. E. Brown, (Grard. Chronicle Vol. VIII., p. 684.) 



Nat. Order, Ceassulaoe^. 



An herbaceous perennial with stems 8 inches to 1 foot in height, the stems, 

 leaves, pedicels and calyx covered with reflexed white hairs, those on the leaves 

 shorter and more papilla-like. Stems simple or occasionally branched, often more 

 than one from the same rosette of leaves, green or reddish purple. Leaves of the 

 rosette 2 to 3 inches long, one-third to half an inch broad, sessile, broadly linear- 

 lanceolate, acuminate, flat or slightly concave above, convex beneath, green, spotted 

 with reddish-purple above, entirely red purple beneath; stem leaves similar but 

 smaller, and recurving or strongly revolute. Cymes of moderate size, flat-topped. 

 Calyx lobes linear-lanceolate, acute, green or purple, about 2-J lines long. Petals 

 a little longer than the calyx lobes, oblong, acute, with recurved spreading tips, 

 pale rosy purple. Stamens as long as the petals, filaments whitish, anthers brown 

 with yellow pollen. 



Habitat: Natal, Zululand. Bntumeni, 2,000-3,000 ft. alt. April, 1888, 

 Wood; same locality, April, 1911, W. J. Haygarth in Herbarium Wood 11,867. 



The above description of this apparently rare and rather remarkable plant 

 has been tnken almost verbatim from Mr. Brown's original and excellent description 

 after comparison with the ample material gathered by Mr. Haygarth. Mr. Brown 

 further says : " It is in the way of G. rubicunda, but not so showy in its flowers, 

 " in the young stage, however, the rosettes of purple and green leaves are rather 

 " attractive, when the flowering stems are developed the radical leaves disappear 

 " and those on the stem being more or less recurved or revolute, give it a somewhat 

 " remarkable appearance." So far as at present known to us this plant seems to 

 be confined to the locality given above, and even there it is not plentiful. 



Fig. 1 , rosette of leaves ; 2, flowering stem ; 3, a flower ; 4, two of the corolla 

 lobes with squamae and stamens; 5, a stamen ; 6, carpels; 7, longitudinal section 

 of carpel ; 8 seed ; figs. 1 and 2, natural size, remainder enlarged. 



