1888 - 89 .] Dr Thomas R. Fraser on Strophanthus hispidus. 77 
Strophanthus Kombe is not included in this enumeration, as Pro- 
fessor Oliver, after an examination of further and more complete 
specimens of the flowers and leaves, now regards it as “a variety, a 
geographical race, of Strophanthus hispidus .” The species hispidus 
has been found only in Africa, and is widely distributed over its 
tropical and subtropical regions. 
Mr Buchanan has at various times sent specimens of the root, 
stem, branches, leaves, flowers, and fruit, and has thus supplied 
materials for a description of the different parts of the plant. 
These parts were exhibited and described, and also a young 
growing plant, reared from seed by Mr Lindsay, of the Royal Botanic 
Garden of Edinburgh. 
In reference to the fruit, it was pointed out that it consists of two 
follicles, united at the ventral surfaces in the young state, hut gradu- 
ally separated, as maturity advances, by a hinge-like movement at 
their bases, until each separated follicle projects from the fruit stalk, 
almost at right angles with it. When fully mature, the two follicles 
form together a nearly straight line, whose extremities are the apices 
of the follicles. 
Each ripe follicle contains three separate structures — the placenta, 
the seeds, and a large quantity of hairs interposed between the seeds 
and the endocarp. 
As the follicle matures, its ventral or placental surface enlarges 
by the inverted edges of the carpels, which project united together 
into the interior of the follicle in its immature condition, splitting up 
more and more, and so expanding this surface. At the same time, the 
dorsal surface of the follicle, consisting of the thick and strong peri- 
carp, becomes less rounded, and the placenta, with its still attached 
seeds, is brought close to the expanded ventral surface. By and 
by, as maturity advances, and the funiculus of the seeds becomes 
weakened by drying, the seeds break off from the funiculus, and lie 
loose in the interior of the follicle. 
The follicle ruptures at the expanded ventral surface, which is its 
weakest portion, and through this rupture the seeds are extruded. 
The actual extrusion of the seeds seems to he produced by the separa- 
tion from each other of the hairs of the comose appendages, and espe- 
cially of the hairs separating the seeds from the endocarp. These 
hairs, in the green and moist state of the follicles, are in close contact 
