Zygophyllum] xxvm. zygophylle^e. 107" 



thickened towards the nodes; leaves very large, orbicular or 

 spathulate-orbicular, smooth, very thick, glaucous-pruinose, entire, 

 standing vertical on the living plant so as to be least affected by 

 the sun ; stipules interpetiolar, simple, broadly ovate, obtuse, 3 to 

 4 lines long, somewhat thinner in substance than the leaves ; 

 peduncles 2 to 5 together, rather erect, arising from the axils of 

 the stipules ; calyx green, fleshy ; petals spathulate, longer than 

 the calyx, white, deciduous; stamens 10; scales of the filaments 

 thinly membranous, white, fringed at the apex, quasi-sheathing 

 the filaments and equally long ; gynophore disciform, somewhat 

 concave ; ovary oblong- or subclavate-pentagonal, 5-celled, with 

 obtuse angles; ovules 2 to 5 in each cell; style pentagonal- 

 pyramidal ; stigma thinly papillose. 



Mossamedes. — In sandy and stony places from Mossamedes to Cabo 

 Negro, in company with Sesamere, Z. simplex, and Vogelia africana 

 ■ Lam. (Welw. Herb. 519) ; fl. and fr. June and July 1859 ; very 

 abundant. No. 1637- In dry rocky places between Cazimba and 

 Cabo Negro, sporadic ; fr. Sept. 1859. No. 16376. In maritime sandy 

 places near Mossamedes ; fr. June 1860. Coll. Caep. 27. 



Upon the roots of this plant Welwitsch found Hydnora africana, 

 var. longicollis Welw., growing as a parasite (see Welw. Sert. p. 66). 



3. Z. Fontanesii Webb, Phyt. Can. i. p. 17, t. 1 (1836-40); 

 Schmidt, Beitr. Fl. Cap. Verd. Ins. p. 314 (1852). 



Cape de Verde Islands. — A hard distorted shrub, 1 to 1£ ft. high, 

 fleshy. Leaves bif oliolate ; leaflets opposite, obovate-elliptical, glaucous, 

 quickly falling off in drying. In sandy maritime places in the island 

 of St. Vincent, at Praia de Gale", without flowers, beginning of Sept. 

 1853. No. 1567. 



' 3. FAGONIA L. ; Benth. & Hook. f. Gen. PI. i. p. 267. 

 1. F. eretica L. Sp. PI. edit. 1, p. 386 (1753); Schmidt, Beitr. 

 Fl. Cap. Verd. Ins. p. 313 (1852); Oliv. Fl. Trop. Afr. i. p. 287. 



F. Oudneyi Br. in Denh. & Clapp. Trav. Append, p. 230 (name 

 only, 1826). 



Cape de Veede Islands. — On the slopes of Monte Verde near Port, 

 de Mindello, in the island St. Vincent, without either flower or fruit, 

 sparingly, Sept. 1853. No. 4593. 



XXIX. GEKANIACEjE. 



OxaUs corniculata L. abounds in cultivated places and in moist 

 lands of the hilly region ; the other species of Oxalidese which are 

 met with in Angola proper belong to the genus Biophytum, and 

 are peculiar to the highland region, where they grow on slopes 

 covered with short grass in the neighbourhood of streams. Both 

 species of Biophytum are interesting on account of the great sensi- 

 tiveness of their leaves, which when irritated do not fall down- 

 wards, but raise themselves from their horizontal position into a 

 kind of ball ; the motion therefore is centripetal, and not centri- 

 fugal as in Mimosa} ; at the least touch, or even when disturbed 

 by the footsteps of persons passing close by, the leaflets instantly 



