28 BOTANY OF SOCOTRA. 



affinity in two plants from the Levant — //. nanum, Poir. (Suppl. Diet. iii. 699 ; 

 Boiss. Flor. Orient, i. 792) and II. cardiophyllum, Boiss. (loc. cit. 791) — but 

 without any risk of being mistaken for them. As in most species of the genus 

 having a shrubby habit, the young leafy shoots are elongated and erect, but the 

 older parts form a woody, twisting, branched plant. 



4. H. (Arthrophylla) tortuosum, Balf. fil. in Proc. Roy. Soc. Edin. xi. 

 (1882), 502. Tab. IV. B. 



Glabrum glaueum ramulis quadrangulis ; foliis obovatis v. elliptico-oblongis v. subrotundis 

 obtusis v. subacutis, inferioribus petiolatis, superioribus sessilibus decussatis, pellucido- 

 punctatis ; floribus in cymas terminates dispositis ; sepalis elongato-ellipticis iinbricatis 

 eglandulosis ; staminibus stylis brevioribus ; capsulis verrucosis. 



Suffrutex lignosus glaber glaucus raruosissimus ramis tortuosis, juvenilibus quadrangulis rufes- 

 cente-purpureis. Folia decussata f-1 poll, longa ^—^ poll, lata obovata v. elliptico- 

 oblonga obtusa v. subacuta basi ssepo subouneata margine revoluta, inferiora omnia 

 petiolata petiolo £— \ poll, longo, superiora sub inflorescentia omnino sessilia plerumque sub- 

 rotundata late aniplexicaulia decurrentia, sempervirentia glauca subcoriacea pellucido- 

 punctata. Cymce terminates multo-rarnosoe subumbellatae ; pedicelli tenues § poll, longi ; 

 bracteolse niinutae. Sqxda | poll, longa petalis breviora inrequalia breviter connata 

 elliptica v. oblongo-elliptica acuta venulosa, margine membranacea imbricata eglandulosa. 

 Petala £ poll, longa persistentia irregularia oblonga v. ovato-oblonga sa?pe subunguicu- 

 lata obliqua, apice truncata v. obtusa v. breviter bifida Stamina triadelpbia \ poll, longa. 

 Ovarium tricarpellare -^ poll- longum. Styli 3 divaricati incurvati gradatim versus 

 apicem attenuati i poll, longi. Capsula trilocularia septicide trivalva longitudinaliter 

 verrucosa. Semina curvata lineato-punctata; rapbe prominula. 



Socotra. With the foregoing species on the Haghier range at a high 

 elevation. B.C.S. n. 607. Schweinf. n. 757. 



Distrib. Endemic, 



A distinct species, in every way allied to the foregoing, but altogether a 

 smaller plant. 



Order XIII. MALVACEAE. 



A large family, representatives of which are found in all parts of the world, 

 except in Arctic regions. In Socotra there are six genera. Four of these are 

 generally dispersed in the tropics, one is essentially a genus of temperate 

 regions of the old world, and the other has a limited distribution in north-west 

 Africa and south-west Asia. 



1. MALVA. 



Malva, Linn. Gen. n. 841 ; P.enth. et Hook. Gen. PI. i. 201. 



A small genus of herbs, natives of the temperate regions of the old world, 

 but several species are now spread as weeds over the world. 



