172 BOTANY OF SOCOTBA. 



Fruticosa robusta erecta ramulis petiolisque pubescenti-tomentosis ; folii3 cordatis v. ovatis 

 obtusis ; inflorescentiis petiolis brevioribus ; corollae laciniis oblougis obtusis, tubo intus 

 dense villoso ; stigmate rostrato obscure lobato ; folliculis pubescentibus. 



Frutex 6-8-pedalis robustus ramulis cicatricosis validis lenticellis verrucosis fulvo-tomentosis. 

 Folia longe petiolata, lamina l£-2£ poll. diam. cordata v. subrotundata v. subreniformia v. 

 late ovata obtusa apice basique nonnunquain angustata margine obscure undulata leviter 

 pubescentia venis radiatis ; petiolus 1-1 § longus. Flores in racemos axillares petiolo aequi- 

 longos v. breviores congesti, superiores solum fertiles ; pedunculi \-\ poll, longi v. breviores 

 tomentosi post anthesin aucti ; pedicelli validi sulcati pubescentes £ poll, longi v. 

 minores ; bracteoe lineares pubescentes apice angustatae ^ poll, longae. Calyx £ poll, 

 longus, segmentis oblongo-lanceolatis obtusis v. acutis extus pubescentibus saepe recurvis. 

 Corolla \ poll. loDga intus dense villosa, laciniis patulis elongato-ovatis obtusis. Coronm 

 squamae gynostegio adpressae eo breviores apice liberae ovatae. Antherarum mem- 

 brana terminalis superne lineari-elongata. Stigma vertice conico rostrato apice obscure 

 bilobato. Folliculi 2 poll, longi lignosi pubescences non-alati. Semina elliptica £ poll, 

 longa glabra. 



Socotra. Near Galonsir and Kadhab. B.C.S. n. 522. Schweinf. n. 741. 



Distrib. Endemic. 



A species not very abundant on the island, marked out from all allied forms 

 by its stout erect habit, and the very short inflorescences with crowded flowers 

 in the axils of the leaves. The species from the adjacent mainland are mostly 

 twiners with flowers arranged in longer peduncled and somewhat lax cymes. 



11. ECHIDNOPSIS. 



Fchidnopsis, Hook. fil. Bot. Mag. t. 5930 ; Bentb. et Hook. Gen. PI. ii. 781. 

 A monotypic Abyssinian genus. 



E. cereiformis, Hook. fil. he. cit. 



Apteranthes tessalata, Dene, in Ann. Sc. Nat. ser. 5, xiii. (1870-1871), 406. 



Socotra. On the limestone hills, north-west from Galonsir. B.C.S. n. 

 617. 



Distrib. Of the genus. 



We have specimens, neither with flower nor fruit, which may be referred 

 to this remarkable species. Our plants are, however, considerably more 

 delicate than the type as dried in Kew Herbarium, and the stems do not reach 

 such a height, and it is possible it is not this species ; but if not, it is very closely 

 allied to it. This is the only Stapelioid plant that is eaten by the inhabitants. 



12. BOUCEROSIA. 



Boucerosia, Wigbt and Am. Contrib. Bot. Ind. 34 ; Benth. et Hook. Gen. PI. ii. 782. 



A small genus of fleshy plants inhabiting dry plains of the northern hemi- 

 sphere of the old world, extending from southern Spain eastwards to India. 



