Undoubtedly there is a great similarity in the flowers of 

 many groups of this genus that differ widely in their vegetative 

 characteristics; yet when investigated differences in floral 

 structure may often be found also, which, taken in conjunction 

 with vegetative characters, are quite as great and as distinctive 

 as those which separate genera in many other families of 

 plants. This is the case with the plant at present under 

 consideration, for I find that it has a combination of three 

 floral characters, which, so far as known to me do not all 

 occur together in any species of Mesembryanthemum, namely : 

 (1) the calyx is produced into a distinct green tube above 

 the ovary ; (2) the stamens are all abruptly bent down into 

 the calyx-tube ; and (3) the stigma is sessile, undivided, and 

 inconspicuous. Upon this combination of characters in con- 

 junction with its vegetative character, I establish a new 

 genus, and have much pleasure in naming it after its dis- 

 coverer, Mrs. E. Eood, of Van Ehynsdorp, who sent living 

 plants of it to Dr. I. B. Pole Evans at Pretoria, where it 

 flowered. The accompanying figure of it was sent to me by 

 Dr. Pole Evans, together with a living plant and a flower in 

 fluid, with some notes by Dr. E. P. Phillips, from which the 

 description has been prepared. 



Desceiption : — A dwarf succulent plant branching at or 

 below ground level and forming clumps about 8-11 cm. high. 

 Leaves 2 to each growth, or 4 when the new growth is 

 made, 8-11 cm. long, 10-15 mm. thick, erect, nearly cylindric 

 or finger-like, but with the inner face flattened, united at the 

 base, obtuse at the apex, glabrous and smooth, green below, 

 purplish at the apical part. Peduncle erect, 3-6 cm. long, and 

 4-5 mm. thick at the apex, with a pair of bracts about 2 cm. 

 long below the middle. Calyx 6-lobed, tube (including the 

 ovary) 10 mm. long, produced about 7 mm. above the ovary, 

 about 10-11 mm. in diameter, slightly constricted under the 

 lobes, glabrous, green ; lobes unequal, 5-8 mm. long, 5-7 mm. 

 broad, ovate, subacute or obtuse, four of them with mem- 

 branous margins. Corolla about 4 cm. in diameter, petals 

 numerous, in about 4 series, loosely recurved, spreading over 

 one another, the outer about 15 mm. long and 1 mm. broad, 

 the others gradually shorter, all linear, obtuse or notched 

 at the apex, bright magenta. Stamens very numerous, all 

 abruptly bent into and closely pressed against the calyx-tube 

 in a dense mass, leaving a clear central opening to the stigma, 



