PLATE 226. 



Beekhbta maeitima, Wood & Evans (Journ. Bot, Vol. xxxvii. p. 253). 

 Natural Order, Composite. 



An herbaceous branching plant reaching^ 3-4 feet in height. Stems and 

 branches striate, sparsely clothed with cobwebby hairs ; green. Leaves alternate, 

 sessile, decurrent in short spinosely ciliate s'em wings; lamina oblong, irregularly 

 sinuate, lobed, lobes tipped with a 1-2 lines long spine, interspaces ciliate with 

 smaller spines ^1 line long; thinly cobwebby, and with jointed glandular hairs 

 above, densely white tomentose beneath, veins and veinlets conspicuous beneath, 

 less so above ; 4-8 inches long, 1^-3 inches wide ; upper ones smaller. In- 

 florescence corymbose, heads small, few, radiate, yellow, on long pedicels having 

 at the nodes depauperated leaves, the uppermost of which is less than 1 inch long 

 and lanceolate. Involucral scales squarrose, 4-5 seriate, concrete at base, each 

 with a terminal spine 1-^ line long, and 1-4 large, and many smaller ones at each 

 side ; lanceolate, 4-6 lines long, including the spine ; densely albo-tomentose 

 beneath, cobwebby above. liaj florets 30-40, strap-shaped, elongate, 3-veined, 

 4-toothed at apex, f inch long, neuter. Disk -|— | inch diameter, florets tubular, 

 5-lobed, 4-5 lines long, lobes linear -lanceolate, equalling tube. Receptacle convex. 

 Pappus of broad scales, lacerate at apex. Achenes turbinate, angular, glabrous 

 and shining. 



Habitat: Natal: Near Durban 100 feet alt.. Wood No. 7602. 



This plant appears to come near to Stobaea scolymoides, D.C. of which we 

 have not seen a specimen, and it has only been gathered so far as known to us in 

 the vicinity of Durban ; it has most likely been confused by collectors with some 

 other closely related species. 



Fig. 1, portion of involucre, natural size; 2, involucral scales, front view; 3, 

 cell of receptacle ; 4, ray floret ; 5, disk floret ; 6, style and stigmas ; 7, achene 

 with pappus scales ; except Fig, 1 , all enlarged. 



