536 
THE GRAPPLE PLANT. 
U Feb . 
however, greatly pleased at my management ; and declared that now 
they had no doubt of my succeeding. The same country, which, at 
the end of September presented an arid, unproductive appearance, 
now smiled in charming verdant clothing, variegated with a profu- 
sion of beautiful flowers and curious plants, which the late rains had 
awaken from out of their subterranean retreat. A handsome and 
entirely new species of Amaryllis* profusely covered a space of ground 
of half a mile in extent, and the beautiful Uncaria procumbens f (or, 
Grapple Plant) was not less abundant. It was just now in full bloom, 
spreading on the ground ; some plants having already formed the 
grapple-like seed-vessels % ; while others were only beginning to 
expand their large purple flowers. The fineness of the day ren- 
dered travelling exceedingly pleasant, and imparted an additional 
grace to every object. 
The incomplete list which a botanist would form from travelling 
but once over the dry plains of Africa, may be well exemplified by 
the collection made between Klaarwater and the Kloof settlement 
in the preceding month of September, as compared with that which 
was made during this excursion. At that time, only six numbers 
were added to my catalogue ; but at this, fifty-eight. Some allow- 
ance, however, must be made for having, at the former time, passed 
over a portion of the road in the night. A comparison of that 
part of my catalogue now made at the Asbestos mountains in a 
single day, with that of my first visit, which was the result of several 
days, may perhaps be instructive, as showing these vegetable pro- 
* A?narj^llis lucida, B. Catal. Geogr. 1969. Folia lucida decumbentia. Scapussub-17- 
florus complanatus brevis, pedunculique scabro-pubescentes. Affinis A. Jlexuosce, 
imdulatce, et liumili ; at, eis quamvis humilior, umbella gaudet multo majore. 
f Uncaria, B. genus est MartynicB affine ; a quo capsulae forma, (vide iconem mag- 
nitudine naturali, in pag. 529.) satis difFert. 
Uncaria procumbens, B. Catal. Geogr. 1970. Caules plures prostrati parum ramosi. 
Folia palmato-divisa et lobata, glaucescentia. Flores magni purpurei axillares solitarii. 
Calycis foliola 5 lineai'ia acuta. Corolla infundibuliformis, tubo basi angustato, limbi laciniis 
rotundatis aequalibus. Stamina 4 didynama, pistillumque corolla duplo breviora. Cap- 
sula bilocularis lignosa, angulis lobato-alatis, lobis uncinatis. Semina numerosa oblonga 
angulata riigosa. Tota planta, sub lente visa, punctulis numerosis albis conspersa est. 
X A figure of one, of the natural size, is given at page 529. 
