DR THOMAS R. FRASER ON STROPHANTHUS HISPIDUS. 979 



longed into a singular-looking narrow tail (see Plate III. fig. 7). In many of my 

 specimens the corolla tails are so long as nine inches, but even these have obviously 

 been broken, owing to their brittle condition when in the dry state. In the 

 unexpanded flower-bud, each of the prolongations of the corolla appears to be doubled 

 on itself, and the five doubled prolongations are twisted together to form a cord- 

 like structure, which projects upwards from the flower-bud for a distance of from half an 

 inch to two inches, according to the age of the flower (see a in figs. 6 and 7, Plate III.). 

 As has been stated, the genus received from Decandolle the name Strophanthus on 

 account of this very singular character of the flower ; but the drawings accompanying his 

 original descriptions represent the prolongations in expanded flowers as projecting verti- 

 cally upwards from the extremities of each corolla lobe, whereas they do so only in the 

 unexpanded flowers. In the expanded flowers, the prolongations are no longer bent upon 

 themselves and twisted together, but they are unfolded and hang downwards as thread-like 

 tails, probably more than 10 inches in length, and about the ^jyih of an inch in diameter, 

 which give not only a singular, but, also, a very graceful appearance to the flowers. 



The corolla is about f ths of an inch in length in its undivided portion, and each lobe 

 is about f ths of an inch in length from its base to the point where it narrows into 

 the thread-like prolongation. Within the corolla, and immediately below the points of 

 junction of contiguous corolla lobes, are five deeply bifid scales or appendages, each 

 division of which projects upwards and inwards, and is terminated by a rounded blunt 

 extremity (Plate III. fig. 8). Below these appendages, at the base of the corolla, are 

 seen the five stamens closely surrounding the pistil (Plate III. fig. 8, a). The forms of 

 the stamens and pistil are represented in Plate III. figs. 9 and 10. 



In dried specimens, the corolla varies in colour from a brownish to a reddish yellow, 

 and the inside is of the same colour as the outside. In the fresh, natural condition, 

 judging from the descriptions of Buchanan and Huedelot,* it appears to be of a general 

 creamy white colour, with yellow at the base and a few purple spots above. Decan- 

 DOLLE,t however, describes the colour of the corolla as orange, and Kirk as yellowish- 

 white or pale yellow, J or pale yellowish-green. § 



The external surface of the corolla and of its lobes is hirsute, the hairs being extremely 

 fine, short, and pointed, and in the lobes most abundant along their margins. The 

 internal surface has only a few very minute hairs, but the ovary is distinctly hirsute. 

 The tail-like prolongations of the corolla lobes are likewise hirsute, but very sparsely in their 

 unfolded state, although markedly so when they are doubled up and twisted together. 



Fruit. 



The fruit is arranged in pairs of follicles. The follicles in each pair are united together 

 at the ventral surfaces in the young state, but they gradually become separated as maturity 

 advances by a hinge-like movement at their bases, until when ripe each separated follicle 



* Archives de Physioloyie, tome iv., 1871-72, p. 526. + Loc. cit., pp. 412 and 123. 



X Letter to Dr Sharpet, 1st January 1864. § Letter, dated 4th November 1888. 



VOL. XXXV. PART IV. (NO. 21). 7 K 



