214 BOTANY OF SOCOTRA. 



villoso interne cincto extus pubescente, linibi lobis subreqnalibus lateralibus exterioribus 

 ellipticis acutis integris. Stamina 4 longiora -J poll, longa, breviora i poll, longa, 

 filamentis puberulis ; autberse omnes 2-loculares basi sagittatre. Discus conspicuus 

 minute clentntus. Ovarium glabrum loculis 1-ovulatis ; stylus § poll, longus integer 

 obtusus sub apice tumidus. Capsula immatura rostrata. Semina 2. 



Socotra. On the plains abundant. B.C.S. n. 605. Schweinf. n. 374. 



Distrib. Endemic. 



This species belongs to the two-seeded group of the genus, and is remarkable 

 in having only two ovules in the ovary, one in each cell. This is a most 

 unusual character in the order, indeed I can find such a condition described in 

 no other genus. Our specimens are not very large, and we have not many 

 flowers, but I have found this uniovular condition of the ovarian cells in all those 

 I have examined. The most distinguishing other features of our plants are the 

 narrow four-branched spine-branches in the leaf-axils, and the narrow linear- 

 subulate spiny bracteoles. By all these it is readily separable from B. 

 triacantha, Hochst., and other allied forms. 



It is a very characteristic plant of the plains, and forms an unpleasant im- 

 pediment to any one traversing them, for the small stunted woody stem projects 

 frequently but a few inches above the ground, and over it one is apt to trip. 



3. B. argentea, Balf. fil. in Proc. Roy. Soc. Edin. xii. (1883), 86. 



Fruticosa inermis argentea canescens ; foliis lanceolatis v. oblanceolatis strigulosis acutis v. 

 submucronulatis ; floribus in cymas bifloras axillares pedunculatas dispositis ; bracteolis 

 lineari-subulatis calyee brevioribus ; staminibus 2 ; staminodiis 2 ; ovarii loculis 1-ovulatis ; 

 capsula rostrata pubescente 2-sperma. 



Suffrutex inermis a basi intricato-ramosus, caulibus ramisque argenteo-canescentibus, ramis 

 srepe decumbentibus ramulis rigidis adscendentibus. Folia petiolata v. subsessilia lanceolata 

 v. oblauceolata v. lineari-lanceolata versus extremitates ambos angustata fig poll, longa 

 \-\ poll, lata apice acuta v. submucronata basi gradatim attenuata integra omnino 

 sparsim v. nervo medio marginibusque solum strigosa. Mores in cymas trifloras 

 (rarius 1) pedunculatas in axillis superioribus dispositi, rlore singulo sessili, pedunculo \ 

 poll, longo ; bractete liueari-lanceolataj strigosae. Bracteolce 2 lineari-subulatae v. acerosae 

 strigosse calyee multo breviores. Calyx basi puberulus alte 4-fidus, segmentis lanceolatis 

 longissime acutis extus strigosis intus nitidis inrequalibus, postico maxim o \ poll, longo, 

 lateralibus minimis -J poll, longis. Corolla parva || poll, longa extus pubescens, tubo ^ 

 poll, longo basi dilatato intus glabro, limbi lobo antico altius soluto ^ poll, longo obovato 

 emarginato, postico breviter lobato segmentis obtusis subsequalibus lateralibus extimis. 

 Stamina 2 psrfecta exserta, filamentis glabris supra basin corollino tubo affixa ; antherarum 

 lobi basi divergentes ; staminodia minuta inconspicua. Ovarium inferne in disco 

 bilobato lobis ovatis immersum superne pubescens, loculis 1 ovulatis ; stylus apice obtusus 

 incrassatus. Capsula ^ poll, longa subcompressa pubescens sessilis superne in rostrum 

 solidum contracta inferne 1-sperina. Semina vestita, retinaculis acutis subuncinatis. 



No.m. Veiin. Shiamham (B.C.S.). 



Socotra. On the Kadhab plain. B.C.S. n. 544. 



