14 



PLATE 283. 



Cbphalandea palmata, Sond. (Fl. Cap. Vol. 2, p. 493). 

 Natural Order, CucuEBiTACEiE. 



A wide climbing dioecious plant with yellow flowers, all parts glabrous and 

 smooth. Tendrils simple or bifid, spirally twisted. Leaves alternate, petiolate, 

 exstipulate, palmately 5-lobed, 5-veined at base, the central lobe 3 to 5 inches 

 long from base, lateral ones 2 to 3 inches long to sinus, all apiculate, margins 

 sinuous, distantly toothed, the teeth acutf», callous ; dark green above, lighter and 

 subglaucous beneath, minutely pitted above ; petioles furrowed above, 1^ to 3 

 inches long. Male flowers on peduncles as long or longer than the petioles, terete, 

 solitary or racemose at apex. Calyx gamosepalous, campannlate, 5-toothed, tube 

 3 to 3^ lines long, greenish yellow, shining, teeth setaceous, distant, green, shorter 

 than tube. Corolla gamopetalous, 5 lobed, widely campanulate, minutely 

 pubescent, l^ to 2 inches wide, the tnbe consolidated with the calyx tube, lobes 

 ovate, acute. Stamens 3, inserted on the calyx tube, filaments short, connectives 

 connate at apex forming a subglobose mass ; anthers flexuous, two 2-celled, the 

 third 1-celled. Female flowers solitary, peduncles little if any shorter than those 

 of the male flowers. Calyx and corolla as in male, but a little smaller. Stamens 

 none. Staminodes 3, oblong, short. Ovary inferior, linear-oblong, at first 1- 

 celled with prominent revolute parietal placentas, afterwards (by the union of the 

 placentas into a central column, and the adherence of their revolute edges to the 

 walls of the ovary) 6-10 celled; ovules numerous; style with 3, thick, lobed 

 stigmas. Fruit a many seeded, smooth oblong berry, which is bright scarlet when 

 ripe, 2^ to S^ inches long, f to 1|^ inch thick. Seed ovate, compressed. 



Habitat: Natal: Coast districts and midlands. Illovo valley, 1 ,200 feet alt, 

 April, Wood No. 1863 ; near Durban, 150 feet alt, February, Wood No. 8446. 



This genus according to the Genera Plantarum includes 12 to 14 species, of 

 which 3 are found in South Africa, the remainder in Tropical Africa, and Tropical 

 Asia, all of the South African species are found in Natal, the one here described 

 being not uncommon. 



A former name for this genus was Coccinea, and lately this name has been 

 revived, and the whole of our species included in it, the one under notice being 

 classed as Coccinea palmata, Cogn, but I am not able to give the reasons for the 

 change or to say whether or not it has been generally adopted by botanists. 



Fig. ], portion of branch of female plant; 2, same with fruit; 3, portion of 

 branch of male plant with flowers; 4, staminal column; 5, 2-celled stamen ; 6, 

 style and stigma; 7, cross section of yoang fruit; 8, longitudinal section of same; 

 except Figs 1, 2, 8, 7, 8, all enlarged. 



