18 



PLATE 241. 



UVABIA CAFFEA, E.M. (Fl. Cap. Vol. i., p. 8). 

 Natural Order, Anonace^. 



A climbing shrub. Branches dark coloured, glabrescent, young twigs green, 

 pubescent with minute brown stellate hairs. Leaves alternate, petiolate, exsti- 

 pulate, oblong, tapering to both ends, obtusely acuminate at apex, margin entire, 

 undulate ; subcoriaceous, dark green, glabrous and shining on both surfaces ; 2-4^ 

 inches long, f-lf inch wide; petiole 1-3 lines long, strongly curved. Flowers 

 solitary, usually opposite the leaves, green peduncles reaching to f inch long, 

 straight or curved, with an early deciduous bract almost enveloping the young 

 bud. Sepals 3, valvate in bud, semi-rotund, of thick texture, minutely stellato- 

 pubescent on outer surface ; 2-8 lines long and wide. Petals G, in two rows, im- 

 bricate in bud, coriaceous, broadly ovate, minutely pubescent on outer surface ; 

 outer ones 5-7 lines long, 4-5 lines wide, broad based, inner a little smaller, 

 and narrowed to base. Stamens very numerous, white, inserted on the torus, and 

 in the freshly opened flower forming a dense subglobose head, surrounding the 

 carpels ; linear oblong, compressed, wedge like, anther cells linear, connective 

 expanded, tnmcate. Torus semi-globose. Carpels indefinite, straight, linear- 

 oblong, angular and furrowed. Stigmas truncate, irregularly lobed, with involute 

 margins, tomentose. Berry ovate to oblong, dark green, yellow when ripe, more 

 or less oblique. Seeds ovate, brown and shining, 3 to 4 lines long. 



Habitat .- Natal : In woods from the coast to at least 2,000 feet above sea- 

 level. Inanda, 1,800 feet, November, Wood No. 754 j January, No. 822 ; near 

 Durban, 120 feet alt, November, Wood. 



Drawn and described from the Durban specimens. 



A rambling shrub not uncommon in coast and midland bush. The genus 

 includes some 35 species, at least 11 of which are found in Trofiical Africa, but 

 the one above described is the only one known to inhabit South Africa, all the 

 remainder are natives of India and Australia. The generic name is " an altera- 

 tion of Uva, a cluster of grapes." The native name is Mazwenda, and the ripe 

 fruits are edible. 



Fig. 1, section of flower; 2, stamen; 3, Carpel with stigma. 



