170 BOTANY OF SOCOTRA. 



Socotra. Not uncommon. B.C.S. n. 208. 



Distrib. Endemic. 



An interesting form amongst old world species on account of its habit. 

 The narrow thread-like leaves on flagelliform twining and twisting branches, 

 from which they are easily and soon displaced, gives the plant a leafless 

 appearance, a feature seen in no old world species, though there is an approach 

 to it in one Cape of Good Hope form. 



On the other hand, in west Indian species of this habit, described by 

 Grisebach (Flor. Brit. W. Ind. 417), under the generic name Amphistelma 

 (reduced to Vincetoxicum by Bentham and Hooker), we find, in addition to the 

 general likeness, that there is a great correspondence in the technical floral 

 details. There is no identity in species from these almost antipodean localities, 

 but it is interesting to note the development of the genus along the same 

 special and exceptional lines in such widely separate areas. 



8. SARCOSTEMMA. 



Sarcostemma, E. Br. in Mem. Wern. Soc. i. 50 ; Benth. et Hook. Gen. PI. ii. 763. 



A genus of leafless fleshy plants, inhabitants of tropical and subtropical 

 regions in Africa, Asia, and Australia. We have specimens of three species 

 from Socotra, only one, however, is in a condition for identication, and is a 

 Cape de Verde Island plant. 



1. S. Daltoni, Dene, in Webb Spicil. Gorgon, in Hook. Nig. Flor. 149, t. 

 14. 



Socotra. In many places on the plains, especially abundant near Debeni. 

 B.C.S. n. 525. 



Distrib. Cape de Verde Islands. 



Our plant so completely agrees in floral characters with this species, I am 

 unable to distinguish between them. The follicles, however, are hardly so long 

 as in the Cape de Verde Island plant. Species of this genus are awkward to 

 preserve as herbarium specimens, and the leafless habit makes it difficult to 

 identify fragmentary specimens ; but, possibly it will be found that some forms, 

 of which fragments have been brought from tropical Africa, and are now in 

 Kew Herbarium, belong to this species, which may therefore range, as so many 

 of the Atlantic Islands and Socotran plants do, across the African continent. 



2. Sarcostemma sp. 



Socotra. On the plains. B.C.S. n 519. 



A peduncle with a few flowers of a Sarcostemma is in our collection, but 

 it is too fragmentary for identification. 



3. Sarcostemma sp. 



Socotra. On the plains. B.C.S. n. 527. 



