PLATE 369. 
VaNnaueERia iNFauSTA, Burch (FI. Cap. Vol. IIL. p. 13). 
Natural Order, Rusiaceag. 
A shrub 3 to 10 feet high, bearing axillary panicles of green flowers, and 
yielding an eatable fruit. Stems one or several, usually short, branches terete,. 
compressed at nodes, densely rusty-tomentose. Leaves opposite, petiolate, stipu- 
late, deciduous, quite entire, ovate or ovate-oblong, veins prominent beneath, less 
so above; upper surface finely pubescent with short erect hairs, dark green; 
under surface more densely pubescent and lighter in colour; 3 to 6 inches Jong, 
2 to 4 inches wide; petioles 3 to 9 lines long, pubescent like the leaves; stipules 
cuspidate from a hroad base, clothed internally with long whitish bristles. Inflor- 
escence axillary, paniculate, the panicles 2-3-chotomous, much shorter than the 
leaves, bracteate, bracts small deciduous. Calyx gamosepalous, 5-lobed, tube 
turbinate, 1 line long, densely pubescent externally. Corolla gamopetalous, tube 
cylindrical, 2 lines long, lobes oblong, minutely hooded at apex; 14 line long; 
throat densely clothed inside with long white hairs in two rows, those of the upper 
row erect, of the lower reversed, the whole corolla pubescent externally; bracts 
small, deciduous. Stamens 5, on throat of corolla; anthers linear-oblong, 2-celled, 
dark brown, filaments very short. Ovary inferior, 5-celled, cells 1 ovuled; style 
subulate, stigma shortly cylindric, large, intruse at base, obtuse at apex. Fruit 
globose, 1 inch in diameter, edible. 
Habitat: Natau: Krauss, 219; Sanderson, 306; Williamson, Drege, Gueinzius, 
56; Inanda, Wood, 670; Berea, Nov. !!’o0d, 9568, var. virescens, near Durban,. 
Wood, 9569. 
In the Flora Capensis a variety of this plant is described as var. virescens, 
the only difference given being that in the type the leaves are said to be “ densely 
covered with a yellowish tomentum,” while in the variety they are said to be “ green 
and glabrous or nearly so;” specimens of both varieties gathered near Durban are 
now before me, and except in the absence of hairs on all parts except stipules and 
throat of corolla I see no material difference between them. In the Flora 
Capensis it is also said that the variety virescens is nearly allied to V. edulis, Vahl. 
a native of tropical Africa and Madagascar. V. infausta is the host plant of a 
fungus, Hemileia Woodii, K. & C., which is nearly related to the destructive 
Hei eia vastatriv, a pest which has been so fatal to the coffee crops in Ceylon 
and elsewhere; another fungus Afcidiwm vanyuerter, Cke is also found in abun- 
dance on this plant, attacking not only the leaves, but also the flowers and fruit, 
the distinct Aecidium cups may be easily distinguished, while the Hemileia forms 
distinct patches of orange coloured dust on the lower surface of the leaves. It 
has been suggested that this plant might be cultivated for the purpose of improv- 
ing the fruit, but whether it is advisable to cultivate a plant which is so badly 
infested with thése pests is somewhat doubtful, I should rather suggest that the 
plants should be exterminated as far as possible. 
Fig. 1, calyx; 2, same seen from above; 3, flower; 4, corolla opened showing 
stamens ; 5, corolla lobe; 6, style and stigma; 7, fruit; 8, cross section of ovary ; 
all enlarged. 
