Utrimla/i'ia] xc. LENTiBULARiACBir. 785- 



XC. LENTIBULARIACEiE. 



The members of this family produce but little effect on the- 

 physiognomy of vegetation in Angola ; they, however, especially 

 Gerdisea africana, adorn with their innumerable mostly purple- 

 flowers the humid pastures of the Huilla highlands. Most of 

 the aquatic and even the amphibious species bear yellow flowers, 

 while the strictly terrestrial species are red, violet, purple, or 

 white. In the coast districts only two species are found, and' 

 these belong to Utricularia. The terrestrial species begin to- 

 appear about 3000 ft. above the sea-level in soils that are kept 

 moist even in the dry winter season by the presence of Algse ;: 

 they become more frequent and abundant both in species and 

 individuals as the land rises in altitude, and they occur in the- 

 largest number of forms and species from 4500 to 5500 ft. The- 

 presence of the terrestrial species of Utricularia usually indicates- 

 a rich pi'oductive soil ; and even where they grow on a sandy 

 soU, as occasionally happens in Huilla and about Pungo Andongo, 

 their appearance is mostly accompanied with some impregnation 

 of the land with fertilizing materials. Heavy rains are apt 

 completely to wash away the aquatic species, and many of the- 

 species suddenly disappear after a few hot and dry days. 



1. UTRICULARIA L. ; Benth. & Hook. f. Gen. PI. ii. p. 987. 



1. U. stellaris L. f. Suppl. PI. p. 86 (1781) ; Oliv. in Joum. 

 Linn. Soc. ix. p. 146 (12 Oct. 1865). 



IcoLO E Bengo. — In the Lagoa da Funda on the left bank of the 

 river Bengo, in company with Castalia stellaris Salisb. and U. exoleta ^ 

 fl. Sept. 1854. No. 268. In the extensive Lagoa de Quilunda, near 

 Prata, in company with C. stellaris and C. mystica Salisb., Lemna, and 

 Pistia ; fl. end of Sept. 1854. No. 2686. 



Barka do Dande. — In the river Dande, the specimens probably 

 grown in Lagoas de Bumbo and washed down ; without fl. Nov. 1853.. 

 No. 268c. An aquatic herb, floating by means of little bladders ; 

 rhizome ample ; flowers whitish violet or deep purple. In lakes on the 

 left bank of the river Lifune, not far from Banza de Libongo, 

 plentiful ; fl. and fr. Sept. 1858. No. 268d 



2. U. reflexa Oliv., I.e., p. 146. 



Huilla. — Rhizomes densely crowded, covering broad tracts of a 

 small river ; flowers deep yellow or pale yellow ; corolla inside yeUow 

 or pale yellow. In the river Quipumpnnhime and most of the other 

 gently flowing streams in Sobato de Humpata, about 4800 ft. elevation, 

 very plentiful ; fl. April 1860. No. 269. Same place and date ; in fr. 

 No. 2696. 



3. U. tricrenata Baker ms. in Herb., sp. n. 

 U. sp. n. ?, aff. U. gibbce L., Oliv., I.e., p. 147. 



Aquatic; submerged leaves with capillary segments bearing 

 bladders; peduncle slender, naked, 1- or 2-flowered, 1 to 3 in. 

 long ; fruiting pedicels divaricate ; bracts orbicular, amplexicaul, 

 basifixed ; calyx-segments ovate, equal, | in. long ; corolla ^ in. 



51 



