1954] 



PLANTS COLLECTED IN NY AS ALAND 



479 



Aspilia vernayi Brenan, sp. nov. 



Affinis ut videtur A. brachyphyllae S. Moore, caulibus et pedunculis sparsius 

 et brevius pubescentibus, capitulis paulum minoribus, pale is receptaculi apice 

 abrupte obtusis vel subacutis nervo medio atroviolaceo apicem haud attingente, 

 margine superne eroso-ciliato, achaeniis brunneo-atropurpureis facile distin- 

 guenda; A. zombensi Bale., cui etiam subsimilis, foliolis involucri latioribus, 

 paleis uninervatis ad apicem haud attenuato-acutissimis et ibi minus ciliolatis 

 longe distat. 



Herba lignescens, ut videtur erecta, usque ad 1-1.5 m. alta; caules tenues, 

 1-3.5 mm. diametro, crebre ramosi, breviter et persistenter scabrido-pubescentes, 

 pilis longioribus usque ad 0.3 mm. longis; internodia (1-) 5-8 (-10) cm. longa. 

 Folia rigide papyracea, ovata usque oblongo-ovata, (1.3-) 3-5 (-7) cm longa, 

 (0.6-) 1.2-3.3 cm. lata, ad apicem sensim acuta, ad basim rotundata, supra pilis 

 brevibus rigidis ad basim incrassatis appressis ad apicem folii adversis satis 

 dense aspero=pubescentia, subtus pilis tenuibus mollioribus et longioribus pu- 

 bescentia, nervis basalibus 3 ("5) quorum laterales arcuato-adscendentes in 

 partem apicalem folii percurrentes et ibi cum nervis lateralibus e nervo medio 

 emissis arcuato-conjuncti, nervis omnibus supra inconspicuis prominulis usque 

 impressiusculis, subtus reticulatis et prominentibus, marginibus saepe anguste 

 revolutis plerumque sparse denticulatis; petiolus brevissimus, 1-3 mm. longus. 

 Capitula mediocria ad apicem ramulorum in corymbos laxos 3-5-cephalos foliaceo- 

 bracteatos aggregata; pedunculi capitulorum propriorum (0.5-) 2-5 (-8) longi, 

 more caulium vestiti. Involucrum 5-10 mm. altum, 5-8 mm. latum, triseriatum; 

 foliola 4 extima oblonga, basi incrassato gibboso et paulum dilatato glabra, 

 superne herbacea et aspero-pubescentia, subacuta vel acuta, 5-10 mm. longa, 

 1.5-3 mm. lata; foliola interiora scariosa, elliptica vel late elliptica, 3-6 mm. 

 longa, 1.5-4 mm. lata, haud vel vix gibbosa, superne glabra vel sparse tantum 

 pubescentia, margine ciliolata; intima quam interiora angustiora, glabra, margine 

 erosa. Palecte receptaculi scariosae, oblongae, circiter 6.5 mm. longae, 1.5-2 

 mm. Iatae, flores amplectentes, ad apicem abrupte subacutae vel obtusae, nervo 

 unico conspicuo nigro-violaceo infra apicem desinente percursae, ad marginem 

 minute eroso-ciliolatae a liter fere glabrae. Flores radii circiter 6—9, ligulati, 

 lutei, extra puberuli, asexuales, sine stylis; ligulae 11 mm. longae, 4 mm. Iatae, 

 apice bilobatae, lobis circiter 4 mm. altis; flores disci circiter 11-28, lutei, 5 

 mm. longi, tubo sursum sensim ampliato extra sparse puberulo; antherae 2 mm. 

 longae, thecis atroviolaceis. Ovarium inferne glabrum, superne breviter pubes- 

 cens, cupula minima laciniata coronatum. Achaenia brunnea-atropurpurea, 4-5 

 mm. longa, 1.5-2 mm. lata, oblonga sed superne paulum latiora et puberula, ad 

 apicem cupula minima 0.7 cm. longa omnino exaristata coronata. 



"Nyasaland, 1891," /. Buchanan 62% 669 ex parte (Herb. Kew.). Mount 

 Chiradzulu, 1895, A. Whyte s.n. (Herb. Kew.). Zomba District: Zomba Plateau, 

 common in Bracbystegia woodlands, woody herb 1-1.5 m. high, much branched, 

 erect, leaves scabrous, flowers yellow, 1500 m., June 4, 1946, 16215 (TYPUS). 



The present plant is certainly an Aspilia, as that genus is defined at present, 

 but the difference between Aspilia and Wedelia seems a remarkably feeble one, 

 even among Compositae, and to cut across other and to my mind more satisfac- 

 tory, though probably not generic, characters. 



In Aspilia, A. vernayi seems closest to A brachyphylla S. Moore, but dis- 

 tinguished most clearly and satisfactorily by the receptacle-scales, as mentioned 

 in the diagnosis. In A. brachyphylla the scales are very acute with the nerve 

 sometimes rather dark, but not nearly so blackish as in A. vernayi, and, most im- 

 portant, reaching the apex and not ceasing below it; the margins of the scales 



