220 BOTANY OF SOCOTRA. 



been given. Solms (loc. cit.) gives the fullest description of the fruit, but neither 

 he nor Anderson take note of another feature, viz., the difference in the seeds 

 contained in the two kinds of fruit. Briefly, the characters of the fruit are 

 these : — In the same fascicles, without apparently any definite arrangement, two 

 quite different forms of fruit are produced. Oneis the normally-shaped Acanthace- 

 ous capsule, such as belongs to other Justiciar, and contains four seeds ; but 

 the other is a one- celled fruit with a softer wall, girt with a series of longitudinal 

 wings, each of which has its margin produced into a number of hooked processes, 

 and there is only one seed rising upon a small retinaculum from near the 

 bottom of the fruit cavity. The seeds in the normally-shaped fruit are small 

 and papillose tuberculate, whilst the single seed of the winged fruit is twice 

 as large, hardly so much compressed, and is quite smooth or slightly fluted 

 and warted. Apparently the one-celled fruit is indehiscent. Though I have 

 devoted some time to the examination of our specimens, I have not been able 

 to determine what, if any, difference exists in the flowers which respectively 

 produce these two kinds of fruit. The winged and hooked fruits do not appear 

 to be quite so numerous as the normal form, and afford additional means for 

 seed dissemination, though what is the importance of the development in this 

 species is at present difficult to explain. 



Professor Oliver directs my attention to a case of dimorphism amongst Poly- 

 gonacere, with, apparently, similar aim. In the south African Oxygonum alatum, 

 Burch. (Trav. i. 548 ; Benth. in Hook. Ic. PI. t. 1321), also a plant of dry regions, the 

 perianth around some fruits is greatly developed forming broad expanded wings, 

 in others these wings are hardly visible, and reduced to a series of mere tubercles. 



2. J. (Gendarussa) rigida, Balf. fil. in Proc. Roy. Soc. Eclin. xii. (1883), 87. 

 Tab. LXXII. 



Fruticosa rigida lignosa cauo-velutina ; foliis rninutis obovatis v. oblanceolatis ; floribus spicatis 

 axillaribus ; bracteolis rninutis calyce brevioribus ; capsula cana strigulosa. 



Frutex lkniosus nanus incanus cortice comumto ramis ad extremitates defoliantibus marcescenti- 

 bus proventuque subspinescentibus ramulos laterales numerosos contractus gerentibus. Folia 

 sessilia v. subsessilia ad ramos elongatos opposita ad contractos fasciculata, lineari-obovata 

 v. oblanceolata obtusa saepe emarginata iutegra \—\ poll, longa (rarius £ poll.) t^-^ poll, 

 lata crassa cano-tomentosa v. velutina. Florcs subsessiles in racemos v. spicas breves §-1 

 poll, longos o-6-floros anfractuosos axillares dispositi rbacbi angulata cano-pubescente 

 ad nodos bracteis 2 oppositis subovatis rninutis pubescentibus instructa. Bracteolm subulate 

 T 'j poll, longai pubero-cana3. Calyx alte 5-fidus, segmentis lineari-lanceolatis £ poll, longis 

 subsequalibus extus velutino-pubescentibus. Corolla \ poll, longa extus striguloso- 

 pubescens ad medium 2-labiata, labio antico trifido segmentis obtusis medio majore postico 

 ovato-acuto erecto, tubo inferne tenui extusque glabro sursum parvus ampliato. Stamina 

 2 infra medium tubum afiixa, filamentis basi incrassatis pilosiusculis cum pulvinis villosis 

 interpositis ; antherarum loculus inferus longe calcaratus inrlexus. Discus cupulrcformis 

 dentatus. Stylus validus basi pilosiusculus apice 2-dentatus. Capsula % poll, longa 4- 



