PLATE 368. 
Pelargonium aconitiphyllum, B. & Z. (Fl. Cap. Vol. 1, p. 276). 
Natural Order. GtEkaniaceji], 
A perennial plant bearing umbels of flowers which are pale yellow, creamy 
white or pale pink. Rootstock woody. Stem very short. Leaves polymorphous, 
radical, lower ones broadly ovate in outline, broadly crenate, the lobes again 
toothed or mucronate, 3 to 5-veined at base, the veins prominent beneath, shortly 
pilose on both surfaces, ciliate, 2 to 4 inches long and wide, the upper leaves 
pinnati-partite, or bipinnati-partite, the lobes linear or linear-lanceolate, 1 to 2 
inches or more long, mucronate, a prominent vein in each lobe ; pilose on the veins 
beneath, glabrous above, not ciliate ; petioles 2 to 5 inches or more long, pilose 
with long white hairs. Stipules subulate or lanceolate, pilose, ^ to 1 inch long. 
Inflorescence umbellate; peduncles 12 to 18 inches long, densely pilose, erect ; 
umbels 12 to 40 flowered, bracts at base of pedicels numerous, ovate or oblong- 
acuminate, pilose ; pedicels 1 to 2 inches long, pubescent. Calyx .5-pai*ted, lobes 
linear, acute, reflexed, pubescent, the uppermost one produced into a tube which 
is decurrent on the pedicel and adnate to it. Corolla of 5 obovate, entire petals, 
which are twice as long as sepals; glabrous. Filaments 10, unequal, monodel- 
phous, 7 longer than the others, but unequal, fertile, the 3 short ones barren ; 
anthers 2-celled, erect. Fruit of 5 one seeded carpels which separate at maturity 
from the enlarged torus. 
Habitat: Natal: Coast lands. Sutherland, Sanderson, Gueinzius ; Inanda, 
1900 feet alt. Wood, 1172; Mooi River, Wood; Camperdown, 2500 feet alt, Jan. 
Wood, 1968. 
This plant is found from the coast to the uplands of the Colony, and is well 
worth cultivation. In the Flora Capensis the flowers are said to be " dull yellow 
without large spot," we find that they vary in colour from pale yellow to light 
pink, sometimes yellow with pink lines. The leaves are very variable in size and 
shape, the broad leaved and almost entire forms are very similar to those of the 
■closely allied P. flabellifolium, which, however, differs by its very prominent vena- 
tion, and usually larger size. The rootstocks of both of these plants have been 
used medicinally in diarrhoea, but with what success we have no reliable informa- 
tion. 
Fig. 1, calyx; 2, staminal tube opened ; 3, pistil; all enlarged. 
