166 
Mesembryanthemum truncatum, Thunb., in `` Nov. Act. Acad. Leop.-Oar. Ephem.,” 
Vol. VIII, Append., p. 5 (1791). - 
Plant forming dense tufts, composed of closely packed branches 4-14 inch long and 
about 3 lines thick, including the numerous wrinkled, slightly shining, brown sheaths 
of a firm or somewhat parchment-like (not membranous) texture with which they are covered. 
Growths about 4 lines long and 3-4 lines in diameter across the top, which Thunberg 
describes as “ retuse-truncate.” The dried growths are glabrous, smooth, slightly shining, 
of a tan-brown colour, and conspicuously dotted. The specimens seem to have the remains 
of either some very damaged flowers or young fruits that are damaged and not in a fit 
state to examine, and also one perfect capsule 23 lines in diameter, with 5 valves. Thunberg 
describes the calyx as 4-lobed, but in this specimen it was doubtless 5-lobed, although 
the lobes have disappeared. Yet it is not uncommon with species of this genus for flowers 
on the same plant to vary in the number of the calyx-lobes from 4—5. 
This species seems never to have been found by any other collector, and has never 
been in cultivation. 
M. tuberosum, Thunb., ` Fl. Cap.,” p. 421. | 
This species is now missing from Thunberg s Herbarium. But as, according to the | 
description, it is quite a different plant from that to which Linnaeus had long before applied 
the same name. I propose for it the following change of name, and add a translation of 
Thunberg’s description : | 
M. stratum, N.E.Br. i 
7 be 29 ) Coon ; 29 : 
M. tuberosum, Thunb., `` Prodr.,” p. 90 (1800), and ` FI. Cap.,” p. 421, not of Linnaeus. | 
Stem prostrate, 9 inches or more long, filform, terete, branching, glabrous, greyish. . 
Branches opposite, somewhat secund, decumbent, about 3 inches long, papulose, green. 7 
Leaves opposite, united and sheathing at the base, about half as long as a finger- nail, | 
terete-subulate, erect, papulose. Flowers terminating the branchlets, “pedunculate, red. | 
. 
Peduncle thickened (upwards 7), about as long as the leav es, 1-flowered, papulose. Calyx | 
5-lobed, papulose ; lobes lanceolate, somewhat obtuse, erect. Petals linear, obtuse. | 
Grows on dry plains near Downes (Daunis), in the Calvinia Division. : 
Thunberg makes no mention of the plant having a tuberous root-stock or producing | 
tubers, so that his name `` tuberosum `` seems inapplicable, unless he intended it to mean 
that because the plant was papillate on all green parts it was fall of small swellings (from. 
tuber, a swelling). 
M. umbellatum, Thunb., ` Fl. Cap.” p. 414. 
There are six sheets bearing this name, marked a, 3, 7, 0, & and ¢. Thunberg 
describes three plants as varieties under this name, but | am unable to fit his specimen 
to the descriptions with certainty. 
Sheet a contains one specimen of a species | am not able to identify. It is identical 
with Bolus No. 9009 (from near Clanwilliam). 
Sheet 7 contains three specimens : the right-hand specimen, which 1 have marked ~ B ” 
on the sheet, is M. parviflorum, Jacg.. `` Hort. Schoenbr.,” Vol. HI, p. 15, t. 278 (1798). 
The other two specimens, marked * A,” 1 do not match with any species at Kew. 
Sheet 7 contains two specimens of what is probably an undescribed species, which is 
the same as Pearson No. 5181 (from the southern slopes of Pikinier’s Pass). 
Sheets 0 and ¢ contain specimens that I believe to belong to M. tuberosum, Linn. 
Sheet ¢ contains two specimens of a new species allied to M. arboriforme, Burch., but 
has shorter and stouter leaves, and the branches of the cyme diverge at a smaller angle, 
but it is scarcely in good enough condition to describe from, 
