PLATE 375. 
Aster perfoliatus, Oliv. (Icones Plantarum, Vol. XVIII. plate 1717). 
A glabrous herbaceous plant, bearing solitary heads of blue flowers on long 
peduncles. Stems simple or branched, ascending or erect, striate, 1 to 2 feet 
high. Leaves alternate, amplexicaul, broadly ovate to sub-rotund, quite entire, 
cordate amplexicaul, obtuse and mucronate at apex, strongly net veined, with very 
minute immersed glands in the araeole, margins thickened ; 1 to 2 inches long, 1 
to 1^ inch wide. Peduncles long and naked, sometimes with a single lanceolate or 
ovate depauperated leaf above the centre. Heads solitary, radiate, 1^ to 1|- inch 
diameter Avhen fully expanded. Involucral scales in two to four series, outer ones 
ovate-lanceolate, acute, margin broadly scarious, 3-veined, erose ; inner oblan- 
ceolate, acute. Pappus bristles copious, barbellate, in two rows, inner roAv shorter, 
outer equalling the disk florets. Corolla of ray florets linear-oblong, toothed at 
apex, disk florets tubular 5-toothed. Anthers sagittate at base. Style arms 
flattened, acute, minutely bristly, those of the disk florets more so than those of 
the TSLj florets. Achenes pilose wath minute silvery hairs. 
Habitat: Natal: Slopes of Drakensberg, Cooper, 3,510; Tugela Falls, 
January, 6-7,000 feet alt.. Wood, 3,605 ; Van Reenen's Pass, 5-6,000 feet alt., 
December, Wood, 9,646, 
This plant has only been found in the higher districts of the Colony, and is 
nowhere very plentiful. At Van Reenen and also near Tugela Falls it Avas found 
growing in the crevices of often ahiiost perpendicular rocks. The flowers are 
dark blue, but differ a little in depth of colour. It was also collected in " Faku's 
Territory" by the late Dr. Sutherland, and was figured and described in Hooker's 
" Icones Plantarum " in the year 1887. 
Fig 1, section of involucre ; 2, outer involucral scales ; 3, ray floret ; 4, style 
arms of same ; 5, disk floret ; 6, stamens ; 7, style arms of disk floret ! 8 pappus 
bristle ; 9, same, inner series ; 10, achene ; all enlarged. 
