118 BOTANY OF SOCOTRA. 



trifloras axillares v. terminales subsessiles £ poll, longas dispositi. Calycis dentes 4 

 minutissimi subrequales. Corolla hypocrateriformis, tubo extus pubescente calycem longe 

 excedente fauce subampliato, limbi lobis 5 angustis acutis tubo subsequilongis. Stamina 

 5, duorum filamentis longis corolla vix brevioribus, triam filamentis brevibus. Stylus 

 staminibus brevior breviter bifidus puberulus. Fructus \ poll, longus dense hirsutus 

 dentibus ruiautis calycinis apice cinctus in coccos duos oblougos hirsutos secedens. 



Socotra. A not uncommon plant. B.C.S. n. 155. Schweinf. n. 602. 



Distrib. Endemic. 



Another distinct species, belonging to the same section of the genus as the 

 foregoing. Its nearest ally appears to be an undescribed Afghan species 

 (Griffith n. 3062), of which a specimen is in Kew Herbarium ; but that has a 

 very woolly fruit. 



3. G. (Microstephus) thymoides, Balf. fil. in Proc. Roy. Soc. Edin. xi. 



(1882), 837. 



Suffruticosa parva rigida dense dichotome ramosa, ramis strictis divaricatis scabrido-puberulis ; 

 foliis petiolatis oblongo-ellipticis v. lanceolatis obtusis v. acutis revolutis scabro-puberulis, 

 ssepe ad basin ramorum confertis ; stipulis heteromorphis ; floribus axillaribus solitariis 

 brevissime pedicellatis ; calyce 5-lobato, lobis 3 magnis subulatis, 2 parvis hirsutis ; corolla 

 extus puberula ; stylo exserto ; fructu hirsute 



Suffrutex rigidus lignosus 2-pedalis spuriosim dichotome ramosissimus. Rami stricti virgati 

 divaricati albidi subtetragoni internodiis brevibus deorsum attenuatis, juveniles scabrido- 

 puberuli seuiores epidermide albido vestiti. Folia petiolata opposita £-§■ poll, longa saepe 

 breviora \ poll, lata ssepe 3-4 basi ramulorum lateralium in axillis conferta oblongo- 

 elliptica v. lanceolata obtusa v. acuta margine revoluta scabro-puberula siccitate nigricantia 

 subtus pallidiora ; petiolus ^— \ poll, longus. Stipulce vagina minute truncata v. setacea. 

 Florcs £ poll, longi brevissime pedicellati axillares solitarii. Calyx persistens non-accresceus 

 5-lobatus, lobis 3 magnis y^ poll, longis subulatis, 2 parvis, hirsutis. Covolloz tubus 

 \ poll, longus angustus supra subampliatus extus puberulus, limbi lobi 5 acuti inflexi. 

 Stamina 5 corollae subaequilonga, 2 saepe breviora. Stylus bilobatus supra puberulus 

 exsertus. Fructus dense hirsutus. 



Socotra. Very common. B.C.S. n. 187. Schweinf. n. 254. 



A third species of the same section as the other Socotran ones. As a 

 distinct species the most marked features of this plant are its freely branching 

 habit, the leaf forms, and the hirsute fruit. These separate it from its allies, 

 the nearest of which is the Persian G. eriantha, Jaub. et Spach. (111. PL Or. i. 

 145, t. 78), but the affinity is not close. 



The plant forms small tufty bushes, and grows everywhere on the island. 



7. SPERMACOCE. 



Spermacoce, Linn. Gen. n. 119 ; Benth. et Hook. Gen. PI. ii. 145. 



A large genus of tropical and sparingly of subtropical regions ; mostly 

 American. 



