24 



PLATE 272. 



Tecoma capensis, Lindl. (Bot. Keg. t. 1117). 

 Natural Order, Bignoniacej!. 



A rambling shrub with scarlet flowers. Stems and branches terete, brown, 

 thickly studded with lenticels. Leaves opposite, unequally pinate, exstipulate, 

 petiolate, common rhachis 3 to 4 inches long to base of the terminal leaflet, deeply 

 channelled above, rounded beneath, more or less swollen at base. Leaflets in one 

 to four pairs, shortly petioled, varying from suborbicular to ovate or broadly 

 ovate, margins crenate, apex acute, rounded and often unequal at base, veins and 

 veinlets prominent beneath, visible above ; dark green above, lighter coloured 

 beneath, quite glabrous ; f to 1^ inch long, | to 1 inch broad ; petiole- 

 1 to 2 lines long; terminal leaflet broadly ovate to ovate-acuminate, 

 or oblong acuminate, l^ to If inch long, ^ to If inch wide, 

 its petiole 4 to f inch long, otherwise similar to the lateral ones ; 

 all channelled and slightly winged above. Inflorescence racemose, terminal on 

 the stems and branches Bracts linear, 2 to 3 lines long. Calyx tubular, 5-toothed, 

 5-ribbed, teeth acute, erect, 3 lines long, pedicels 2 to 4 lines long. Corolla gamo- 

 petalous, glabrous, tube laterally compressed, curved, gradually dilated to throat ; 

 limb 5-lobed, imbricate in bud, the two upper lobes connate for two thirds of their 

 length, two lateral ones oblong, acute or obtuse, strongly reflexed, lower one 

 similar, deflexed ; all darker lined from base. Stamens 4, with rudiment of a fifth,, 

 didynamous, inserted on tube above its base, exserted, ascending under upper lip 

 of corolla; filaments slender, ciirved, salmon coloured, anthers mucronate at apex, 

 2-celled, deeply sagittate, at length divergent, attached at sinus ; red brown. 

 Ovary superior, seated in a brown annular disk ; style long, slender, curved, 

 longer than stamens, stigma bi-lamellate, the lobes equal, oblong-ovate. Capsule 

 2-celled, 2-valved. 



Habitat : Natai, : Coast and midlands. Groenberg 2,000 feet alt, June, Wood 

 No. 568; near Durban, 160 feet alt, August, Wood. 



The genius Tecoma includes about 24 species, two of which are found in 

 South Africa. The one here described is a very handsome climbing plant and is 

 well known in cultivation. So far as we are aware it has no useful properties, 

 and is cultivated for ornament only. 



Fig. 1 , corolla opened, showing insertion of stamens, natural size ; 2, flower, 

 corolla removed ; 3, ovary and disk ; 4, portion of twig with two capsules ; except 

 fiff. 1 ; all enlarged. 



