164 BOTANY OF SOCOTRA. 



longa J-J- poll, lata coriacea supra viridia saepe medio panno rubro notata subtus glauca 

 pulverulenta. Flares in cymas sessiles 2-3-floras ad apices ramulorum contractoruni 

 dispositi ; pedicellis brevissimis pubescentibus ; bracteis rninutis ovatis. Calyx ^ P°H. 

 longus extus pubescens, segmentis late ovatis. Corolla £ poll, longa campanulata, lobis 

 lineari-lanceolatis obtusis. Coronce squamae clavatae parvae incurvae inclusae medio tubo 

 corollae affixae. Antherce glabrae. Pollen granulosum appendicibus corpusculorum 

 oblanceolatis tenuissimis. Stigma pileiforme umbonatum. Folliculi 1^-lf poll, longi. 

 Semina elliptica £ poll, longa. 



Nom. Vern. Gisso (B.C.S.). 



Socotra. On the limestone plateau south-west from Galonsir, at an 

 elevation of over 1500 feet. Also in a few other like situations. B.C.S. nn 

 583, 615. 



Distrib. Endemic. 



Another species with a corona aberrant from the generic type in the same 

 direction as the foregoing, though in habit it conforms with the type. This with 

 its small coriaceous leaves readily distinguishes it. 



We have another set of specimens, n. 99, collected near Galonsir, of a hard- 

 wooded shrub, which is probably this species. But the lateral shortened 

 branches project farther from the stems, and show very clearly the cicatrices 

 of the fallen leaves ; the leaves are shorter, more persistently oval, and almost 

 invariably have the lamina on the upper face coloured dark red in the centre, 

 there being only a small marginal circlet left green. The calyx on the single 

 flower present on the specimens is rather smaller than those in the plant de- 

 scribed last, and the corona scales are slightly longer ; the flower being 

 altogether not unlike that to which I next refer under n. 634. 



3. Ectadiopsis sp.? 



Socotra. Near Kadhab. B.C.S. n. 634. 



We have another set of specimens of a plant, the exact position of which I 

 am unable to determine, although I am inclined to consider it a form of 

 Ectadiopsis. The characters are briefly these : — A small shrubby virgate plant, 

 with many contracted lateral branches bearing tufts of leaves, and also many 

 tawny-barked elongated twigs. Some of the leaves, notably those in the tufts, 

 are like those of the Socotran species of Ectadiopsis, the others more nearly 

 resemble those of the plant presently to be described, Mitolepis intricata. They 

 are, however, never pubescent, but often pulverulent underneath, becoming gla- 

 brous. The flowers are peculiar. I have only found a single unbroken one upon 

 the specimens, and it shows a calyx and corolla as in the foregoing species, 

 stamens also alike only with the anthers somewhat ciliate, but the clavate corona 

 scales are considerably longer than in Ectadiopsis, though not nearly so long as 

 in Mitolepis. But the most remarkable feature in the specimens is the tendency 

 to abnormality and phyllody in the flower. Perfect flowers with the character 



