PLATE 584. 



Pelabgonitjm BowKEfii, Harv. (Fl, Cap. Vol. II., p. 592.) 

 Nat. Order, Gbbaniaoe^. 



An herbaceous plant with thick branching or tuberous roots. Stem short, 

 2 to 3 inches long. Leaves, several, oblong to oblong-lanceolate in general outline 

 up to 16 inches long, decompound, the ultimate segments linear-filiform, ^ to 1 inch 

 long, ^ line wide, furrowed above, glabrous or pubescent. Stipules 0. Inflorescence 

 exactly as in P. Woodii (No. 583), colour of flowers included. 



Habitat; Natal. Stony open slopes of Drakensberg mountains at Olivers 

 Hoek, January 1S86, Wood. Impendhle 5-6,000 ft. alt. Wylie. Helpmakaar, 

 Allanson. Also in Transvaal, Bowker. 



Living plants of this species and of P. Woodii were brought to the Botanic 

 Gardens, Durban, by the writer in Jan. 1886, and some years later plants of both 

 species were brought from Impendhle by the Curator, Mr. Wylie. In June 1886 

 F. BowJceri flowered, and produced leaves, one of which was the abnormal one 

 figured in the plate, several similar leaves have since been produced, but only this 

 one was preserved. 



In October 1911 I received from Mrs. Hesom, of Maritzburg, 3 of these 

 abnormal leaves from a plant of P. BowJceri which I had seen at the recent Flower 

 Show, the largest of these leaves showed a still nearer approach both in size and 

 cutting to those of P. Woodii as shown in the drawing, in each of the cases known 

 to me the two species P. Bowheri and P. Woodii, were growing in proximity to 

 each other, and the only apparent difference between the inflorescence of these 

 species is in the more scanty hairs on the pedicels and peduncles of P. Bowkeri, 

 the pubescence of the leaves of this species varies greatly, we have seen specimens 

 quite glabrous others very pubescent. 



Fig ] , plant showing abnormal leaf ; 2, leaf ; 3, lobe of the leaf of the plant 

 grown hj Mr. Allanson at Maritzburg ; 4, inflorescence ; all natural sv^e. 



