146 
Thunberg describes the branches as opposite, and they are so on the lower part of the. 
specimen on sheet a, but on the upper part of that specimen, and on that on sheet (. they 
are alternate, just as they are on MacOwan (1873). ae 
Sonder in `` Fl. Cap.” Vol. II, p. 454, quotes the specimen on sheet 7 as being . 
OM. angulatum, var. gracile.” but it is merely a small lateral branch 2 inches long, broken | 
from a larger specimen, and very possibly from one of those on sheet a or B. The | 
Bethelsdorp specimen which Sonder also quotes for his variety gracile, and from which he 
doubtless described, is probably a different plant. Jacquin raised MM. Aitonis from seeds 
sent to him by Aiton, so that in all probability they were collected and sent to Aiton by 
Masson. who ac companied Thunberg on his journeys. | 
M. apetalum, Thunb., ` Fl. Cap.,” p. 417. 
This is represented in Thunberg’s Herbarium by a scrap about 3 inches long, being 
evidently a short branch from an ne But it IS undoubtedly : 
M. rd Linn. f.,.” Suppky p. gos (ist ae, od Jacq., - Hort Vil 
Vol DIT p. 7, t. 6 (1776), Hot oi eee US. 
M. hy was described from a plant cultivated in Upsala Botanic Garden, doubtless: 
raised from seeds supplied by Thunberg. As no specimen exists in the Herbarium of | 
the younger Linné, that in Thunberg’s ‘Herbarium must be accepted as the type of the. 
species. It quite agrees with the desc ‘ription of Linnaeus fil., but | cannot mateh it with: 
any specimen at Kew. It and J/. papulosum, Linn. fil., are evidently allied species, and. 
require to be searched for and made better known. To this end I here give a translation: 
of the description of M. apetalum, Linn. fil.. with details concerning Thunberg’s specimen 
included. 
The plant is an annual. Stems or branches 1-2 inches long, prostrate, terete, reddish, 
covered with glittering papillae, as is the whole plant. The branch of Thunberg’s specimen 
including leaves, is 3 inches long and ? line thick, and glabrous; the papillae have all 
shrunk and disappeared from the whole of the specimen except on one pedicel, where they 
are very evident and rather large, but, under a strong lens, in one or two places evidence 
that the leaves were also papillate can just be traced. Leaves opposite, about 14-2 inches 
long and 12 lines broad, linear, or, according to Linnaeus fil., slightly lanceolate, obtuse, 
succulent, ee lled above, convex and somewhat roughly papillate beneath, glabrous. 
Pedicels 3-1 inch long, 1-flowered. As pressed, the flower has the calyx-lobes and petals 
infolded ae the top of the ovary, and is about 34-4 lines in diameter. Calyx-lobes 
unequal,: with subulate-cylindric tips. Petals 24, distant, very short, setaceous, white, 
resembling filaments without anthers, Incumbent upon the top of the ovary. Stamens 
with filaments like the petals, but shorter; anthers fuscous. Ovary large, convex and 
smooth above. Stigmas 5, about 1} line long. erect in a column. with recurved tips. 
This is evidently a remarkable and very interesting species, although with insignificant 
flowers. Any reader who may discover it would confer a favour if he or she would kindly 
send seeds of the plant to me, addressed to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, or through 
Dr. Pole Evans or Mrs. Bolus. 
Jacquin’s figure of M. copticum seems so exactly. to represent the plant of which 
'Thunberg's specimen is only a single branch that I think there can be no doubt of their 
identity. Linnaeus fil. seems to have described the petals from flowers thet had passed 
into the young fruiting stage, and become rolled up and `` setaceous ` and bent down upon 
the top of the ovary. . 
M. copticum of Linnaeus is a totally different plant and identical with ye con hispanicum, 
Linn. 
; 
) 
M. articulatum, Thunb., ` Fl. Cap..” p. 415. 
There are two sheets bearing this name, marked 1 and 2, which contain three distinct 
species, all very similar in general appearance, and Thunberg s description will apply to a 
all of them, with the exception of the words `* punctato-scabri ” and “ punctato-scabridum ” ee 
at 
