THE SOUTH AFRICAN GERBERAS. 



of Natal as ' Cabazaan,' and, according to Medley Wood, they use its 

 leaves to make a lotion for curing toothache. A more critical study of 

 the Tropical African species may hereafter tend to show that this 

 species may perhaps only represent an extreme southern geographical 

 form of Gerhera ahyssinica. 



Gerbera Galpinii, Klatt in Bull. Herb. Boiss. iv. 844 (1896). 



Crown of rootstock densely white-woolly. Leaves tufted, six, 

 erect, oblanceolate, subacute, tapering gradually from about or above 

 the middle into the longish petiole, 2f-8J inches long (inclusive of the 

 petiole); J-J inch broad, coriaceous, entirely glabrous on both sides, 

 the midrib obvious on both surfaces, but the lateral veins not apparent ; 

 margin entire. Scape solitary, slender, 16-17 inches long, ebracteate, 

 glabrescent or glabrous below, cobwebby towards the flower-head, 

 which is about ij-ij inch in diameter. Involucral bracts 2-3-seriate, 

 J-J inch long, glabrous at maturity. Ray-florets bright yellow, 

 scarcely double the length of the involucral scales, 2-toothed. Pappus 

 very pale dun-coloured. Achene densely puberulous. 



Distribution. Kalahari Region. Transvaal ; swampy ground, 

 Umlomati Valley, 4000 feet, Barberton, Oct. 1890, Galpin, 

 1132 ! 



Undoubtedly one of the most distinct of the Gerberas, G. Galpinii 

 is easily recognized by the stiff erect pose of the oblanceolate leaves, 

 which are moreover wholly glabrous and do not possess the lateral 

 nerves which characterize so many of its congeners. The species 

 must show some variation, for Klatt, basing his description upon the 

 same number of Galpin's, alludes to the leaves as slightly pilose on 

 the upper surface, while the margins are slightly sinuate and toothed ; 

 this, however, is not the case in the Kew specimen. We are indebted 

 for this acquisition to Mr. E. E. Galpin, who has been assiduous in 

 his efforts at exploiting the floral wealth of the eastern districts at 

 the Colony and also that of the Transvaal. 



Gerbera Burchellii,* DUmmer. 



Leaves tufted, three, ascending, borne on slender glabrous rich brown 

 petioles, 1-2 inches long ; blade elliptic, obtuse, narrowing towards 

 the base, ij-2| inches long, J-f inch broad, leathery, wholly glabrous, 

 the midrib and its four to six pairs of veins raised and most conspic- 

 uous on the lower surface ; margin distantly and obsoletely toothed, 

 five to seven teeth on each side. Scape solitary, slender, 16 inches long, 

 ebracteate, glabrous below, thickly pubescent towards the flower-head. 



, Involucral bracts 2-3-seriate, acute, J-J inch long, glabrous dorsally, 

 ciHate. Flower-head when expanded ij inch across, the ray-florets 



' narrow, tridentate, yellowish ? Pappus rufous. Outer achenes 

 puberulous. 



* G. BuYchellii\ Diimmer. Sp. nov. G. Galpinii, valde afi&nis, sed foliis 

 i brevioribus latioribiisque obsolete dentatis, nervis conspicuis, pappo pallida 

 srufo differt. {Burchell, 3876, Herb. Kew.) 



