PLATE 228. 



Aeqtrolobium Sandebsoni, Harv. (Fl. Cap. Vol. ii., p. 594). 

 Natural Order, Lbguminos^. 



A low underslirub, branching from base, 12-18 inches in height. Stems and 

 branches erect, glabrous, green, bluntly angular or ribbed. Leaves trifoliate, 

 petiolate, glabrous ; common petiole reaching to nearly 1 inch long, channelled 

 above. Stipules linear or subulate, 4-8 lines long. Leaflets obovate to oblanceo- 

 late, or oblong, entire, glabrous, mucronate; 3-4 inches Ions:, If-S;^ inches wide, 

 smaller upwards. Inflorescence racemose, racemes terminal, elongate. Flowers 

 yellow. Peduncles minutely hairy, bracts linear, 1 at base of each pedicel, which 

 is swollen at apex ; bracteoles 2, on pedicel at base of calyx. Calyx bilabiate, 

 upper lip 2-fid or sub-entire ; lower minutely 3-toothed ; pubescent with brown 

 silky hairs. Corolla papilionaceous, vexillum longer than carina, with a few 

 minute hairs on outer surface, carina curved, glabrous, alae a little longer than 

 carina, oblong, glabrous. Stamens monadelphous, dissimilar, five bearing ovate 

 anthers, alternating with 5 lanceolate ones, the filaments with lanceolate anthers 

 winged, remainder linear. Ovary stipitate, many ovuled, clothed with brown 

 silky hairs. Style curved, stigma obtuse. Legume linear, compressed, curved, 

 margined, hirsute, 2-3 inches long, 1^-2 lines wide. 



Habitat : Natal : Field's Hill, Sanderson, No. 99 ; Near Botha's, 2-8,000 feet 

 alt., October, Wood ; Hillcrest, 2,000 feet alt., September ; Wood No. 7940. 



We have in Natal three species of this genus, which in general appearance are 

 very similar to each other, viz., A. Sandersoni here described, which is found at 

 about 1,500 to 2,000 feet above sea level, commencing in the vicinity of Krantz- 

 kloof and reaching to some distance beyond Inchanga ; A. Sutherlandi, which is 

 not uncommon from Maritzburg at about 2,000 to the hills above it at 3,000 feet 

 alt., and A. speciosum which reaches from 3,000 feet alt. in the neighbourhood of 

 Fistcourt to the foot of the Drakensberg ; the two first named have been so far as 

 known to us found in Natal only, while A. speciosum has been reported from 

 Cape Colony and Transvaal. It is intended to figure these two species as soon as 

 good specimens can be obtained. 



Fig. 1 , calyx ; 2, vexillum ; 8, ala ; 4, carina ; 6, staminal tube opened ; 6, 

 ovary, style and stigma ; all enlarged. 



