292 BOTANY OF SOCOTRA. 



and in the following year by Collins, but their specimens were not sufficient to 

 afford a complete knowledge of the plant. We were fortunate in bringing home 

 many plants alive which have thriven and some have flowered in this country, 

 so that we now know the species thoroughly well. 



On Socotra the plant grows plentifully, sometimes it is to be found almost at 

 the sea-level, but it is most abundant on the hills at some elevation. From it 

 the inhabitants obtain the juice which, inspissated, forms the Socotrine aloes of 

 commerce, designated by them with the same name as the plant, " Tayef." The 

 collection of the drug is, however, very haphazard. For an account of this, and 

 also for further remarks regarding the drug, see the Introductory Chapter 

 and the Appendix to this volume, where also reference is made to the account 

 of the drug given by Wellsted (in Journ. Roy. Geog. Soc. v. (1835), 107). 



2. A. squarrosa, Baker in Proc. Roy. Soc. Edin. xii. (1882), 97. 



Caulescens caudice simplici ; foliis parvis laxe dispositis lanceolatis patulis maculatis apioe 

 recurvatis aculeis marginalibus niagnis crebris deltoideis ; scapo brevi simplici ancipiti ; 

 racemo simplici cernuo ; pedicellis brevibus ascendentibus bracteis lanceolatis ; perianthii 

 cylindrici tubo brevi; staminibus inclusis ; stylo exserto ; capsula parva. 



Caulis 6-9-pollicaris simplex teres |-^ poll. diam. dimidio inferiori nudus basibusque 

 membranaceis foliorum delapsorum cinctus. Folia producta 6-15 laxe disposita patula 

 conspicue squarrosa 1^—2 poll, longa -£-§ poll, lata e basi ad apicem acuminatum sensim 

 attenuata aculeis marginalibus patulis crebris corneis ^ poll, longis. Scapus simplex 2-3- 

 pollicaris bracteis paucis vacuis pra3ditus ; racemus 1^-2-pollicaris subdensus ; pedicelli 

 adscendentes £— | poll, longi apice orbiculati ; bractete lanceolatoe acuminatse albas ^-— |-poll. 

 longce striis 3 brunneis percursae. Pcrianthium pallide rubrum |— $ poll, longum. Stamina 

 periantbio paullo breviora antberis parvis luteis. Stylus ^ poll, longus. Capsula oblonga 

 l poll, longa. 



Socotra. On the limestone cliffs south-west from Galonsir at an elevation 

 of 1000 feet. B.C.S. n. 282. 



Distrib. Endemic. 



A very distinct spotted-leaved species. Its nearest ally is the Cape 

 species A. consobrina, Salm Dyck (Monog. Al. sect, xviii. f. 3), a plant long 

 in cultivation in this country, but that species has much larger leaves and erect 

 inflorescences as well as other features of difference. 



We only found two plants of this species at one locality in Socotra, at 

 the base of the limestone cliffs south-west of Galonsir. Probably it is a scarce 

 plant. Schweinfurth does not send it. 



3. DRACAENA. 



Draxcena, Vandel. ex Linn. Mant. n. 1256 ; Benth. et Hook. Gen. PI. iii. 779. 



A considerable genus widely dispersed in the warmer regions of the old 

 world. 



