27 



PLATE 275. 



Seeicocoma chktsueus, Meisn. (in Hook. Lond. Jour. Bot. II (1843) 547 (err 



typ. 447). 

 Nataral Order, Amarantace^. 



A perennial herb witli one or several stems from a woody root. Stems erect, 

 usually simple, striate, minutely puberulous. Leaves mostly opposite, exstipulate, 

 lanceolate, entire, acute at apex, tapering gradually to a very short petiole, 

 margins entire, quite glabrous, 1 to 3 inches long including petiole, i- to ^ inch 

 wide. Inflorescence in terminal cylindrical spikes, with occasionally 1 or 2 smaller 

 spreading spikes at base. Flowers 2-3 together, forming a dense cylindrical spike 

 from 1 fo 6 inches long. Perianth 5-parted, lobes equal, lanceolate, obtuse, 

 scarious, with a very prominent midrib reaching to apex of lobe, and two smaller 

 and shorter lateral ones; 4-lines long. Bracts 2, ovate to ovato-lanceolate, 

 villous with long moniliform white hairs on outer surface. Stamens 5, connate in 

 a cup at base, opposite perianth lobes, and alternating with 5 scale like, truncate 

 staminodes ; shorter than perianth ; anthers oblong, 2-celled, filaments pink. 

 Ovary 1-celled, 1-ovuled, villous ; style filiform, equalling the stamens ; stigma 

 capitate. 



Habitat: Natal: Coast and midlands. Groenberg, 2,000 feet alt, April, Wood 

 No. 67 ; Mount Moreland, 500 feet alt, September, Wood No. 8323 ; not uncom- 

 mon near Durban. 



This genus contains 11 species all natives of Tropical and South Africa, of 

 -which two are found in Natal, the one here described and 5. augustifolia. Hook, 

 which has been collected in the upper districts. <S. chrysurus is a weed growing 

 in open grassy ground has no useful properties, and is not used in any way by 

 the natives as far as we are aware. 



Fig. 1, flower ; 2, lobe of perianth ; 3, stamens and staminodes ; 4, ovary, 

 style and stigma ; 5, bract ; 6, moniliform hair ; all enlarged. 



