BOTANY. 399 



as a charm among the natives. Omitted from the former edition of 

 this work. 



14. Acacia, sp. 



Between Pietermaritzburg and the Crocodile River. 



A barren branch belongs to Bentham's group Gummifertz, and is 

 very similar in every respect to a specimen gathered by Welwitsch in 

 Angola, and labelled A. Sieberiana, De Cand., perhaps correctly, 

 though the petioles are more villose and the leaflets more hairy than 

 in that species. Mr. Oates's specimen has the short spines of the 

 Angolan plant, but the leaflets are somewhat less hairy. All may, 

 however, ultimately prove to be forms or states of the same species. 



Order ROSACEA. 



15. Cliffortia linearifolia, Eckl. and Zeyh. 

 Between Pietermaritzburg and the Crocodile River. 



Order SAXIFRAGACE.E. 



16. Vahlia Capensis, Thunb. 

 Matabele Land. 



Order COMBRETACE.E. 



17. COMBRETUM HOLOSERICEUM, Sond. 



Matabele Land. 



This plant is mentioned in the former edition of the work as 

 " C. Zeyheri, Sond. ? " 



18. Combretum Oatesii, n. sp. (Plate X.) 



A small suffruticose shrub, 6-9 inches high, branching at base from 

 a somewhat thickened rootstock. Branches minutely puberulous, at 

 length glabrous. Leaves alternate, shortly petioled, coriaceous, 1-3 

 inches long, varying from obovate-lanceolate to elliptical, mucronate, 

 base attenuate or sometimes obtuse, glabrous or sometimes minutely 

 puberulous ; the densely reticulated veins generally prominent on both 

 surfaces. Flowers in dense terminal congested racemes, sometimes 

 with smaller ones in the upper axils of the leaves. Calyx -limb 

 campanulate, glabrous, almost truncate, the minute teeth cuspidate, 

 margin minutely ciliate ; colour deep crimson, or vermilion. Petals 

 sessile, orbicular, scarcely a line long, vermilion. Stamens generally 

 8, exserted for quite double the length of the flower, filaments appar- 

 ently bright red, as well as the anther. Ovary minutely ferrugineo- 

 pubescent ; style glabrous, scarcely as long as the stamens ; stigma 



