A frican and Madagascar Flowering Plants . 345 
alae have a slight tendency to spring upwards when loosened 
from the carina, and this must tend to bring the carina back 
to its original position after depression. 
Rafnia angulata, Thunb . 
The outer whorl of stamens with the odd filament push 
up the pollen as in Borbonia , but the connection of alae and 
carina is much looser than in that genus. The upper edges 
of the alae are held together by the median groove of the 
vexillum and the upper edges of the carina form a flat trian- 
gular surface, fully 2 lines broad in front of the vexillum. 
The alae, however, embrace the carina below, as in Borbonia . 
Lotononis involucrata, Bth. (Figs. 42-46.) 
The effect of the elongated inferior calyx-tooth, character- 
istic of the genus, is to strengthen the carina which rests on it. 
The alae and carina are connected in three ways : first , by a 
deep groove in the carina, fitted by a depression of the alae ; 
secondly , by the overlapping of the superior backward pro- 
jections or auricles of both alae and carina; and, thirdly, by 
the inferior backward projections of the alar wings which are 
in contact below the carina. The alae are kept in contact 
with the carina by the downward prolongation of the vexillum- 
wings, which are almost as deep as the carina itself; they also 
overlap vertically in front On depression the alae are sepa- 
rated from one another, as well as bent down, and the carina 
opens very widely to allow the style and stamens to emerge. 
Lotononis prostrata, Bth. (Figs. 38-41.) 
Very similar to preceding species. 
Viborgia obeordata, Thunb. 
The structure is almost identical with the last species. 
Aspalathus aemula, E. Mey (Figs. 47-50). 
The vexillum has a long arched claw, and its two basal 
lobes fit into a deep groove on the superior surface of the 
alae, as in Borbonia : the lower edges of the alae are also 
slightly bent inwards below the carina at junction of the limb 
and claw. The carinal halves have a rather deep longitudinal 
B b 2 
