PLATE 257. 



OciMUM OBOVATUM, B. Meyer (Comm. PI. Afr. Austr. 226). 

 Natural Order, Labiatj]. 



A herbaceous perennial with many stems from a thick woody root. Stems 

 erect, occasionally and sparingly branched in upper portion, terete or subquad- 

 rangular, pubescent, 2 to 10 inches high. Leaves opposite, petiolate, lanceolate^ 

 obtuse at apex, tapering at base to a short petiole, margins distantly and bluntly 

 serrate, both surfaces thickly dotted with minute green glands, which become 

 brown at the extreme margin ; the lamina 1 to 2 inches long, |- to f inch wide, 

 pubescent beneath; petiole 1 to 2 lines long. Inflorescence of 6-flowered whorls, 

 forming a short lax raceme. Flowers lavender, the veins of upper lobe of corolla 

 much darker, lower lobe very faintly coloured, not lined. Calyx gamosepalous, 

 pubescent, 2-lipped, upper lip ovate, concave, decurrent on the tube, entire, mu- 

 cronulate ; lower lip a little shorter, subconduplicate, 2-fid at apex, the teeth linear, 

 dark coloured, a minute tooth outside of each ; margins ciliate with white hairs ; 

 3 lines long, 2 lines wide ; pedicels 1 line long. Corolla gamopetalous, much 

 longer than calyx, 2-lobed, lower lobe oblong, concave, declined ; upper erect, 

 4-lobed, outermost in bud, the two central lobes longer than the others, connate 

 for half their length, irregularly toothed at apex, two lateral ones spreading or 

 reflexed, irregularly toothed in upper portion; tube shortj a little inflated at 

 throat; the whole corolla 6 to 7 lines long. Stamens 4, declinate, inserted on 

 corolla at throat, much exserted, the two upper (posterior) ones thickly pilose with 

 white jointed hairs in lower portion, and knee-bent below ; the two lower (an- 

 terior) glabrous, decurrent on the corolla tube ; anthers small, 2-celled, versatile, 

 brown. Style longer than stamens^ 2-fid at apex. Nuts 4, one or two often abor- 

 tive, seated on a cup -like lobed disk. 



Habitat: Natal: Coast and midlands. Inanda, 1,800 feet alt. Wood; Um- 

 hlanga, 1,000 feet alt, August, Wrod No. 1340; Umzinyati, 800 feet alt, October, 

 Wood No. 1397 ; near Durban, 500 feet alt, June, Wood No. 8286. 



This genus includes about 40 species, natives of the warmer regions of the 

 world; 13 or more are found in Tropical, and six in South Africa, of which four 

 have been collected in Natal. Several species are used in condiments and in per- 

 fumery, and one or more are used medicinally. 



Fig. 1, flower; 2, calyx opened, outer surface; 3, same, inner surface ; 4, 

 corolla opened ; 5, ovary, style and stigma ; all enlarged. 



