84 
NOVITATES AFRICANAE 
rounded, glabrous; the posterior segment similar to the anterior; ovary 
2-celled, broadly ovate, compressed; styles 2, united to shortly above 
the base, long, slender in the upper parts; capsule 2-seeded. 
Cape Province: Karroo Region; Laingsburg Div., on the Witteberg 
near Matjesfontein, Marloth, 3146, $ ! 
Allied to R. fraternus, Kunth, from which it chiefly differs by 
tubercled stems and the female flowers having 4 perianth-segments. 
Restio aridus, Pillans, R. ferruginoso affinis, sed caulibus brevioribus, vaginis 
foliorum arete convolutis, spiculis d minoribus, spiculis $ paucioribus 
differt. 
Stems caespitose at the base, erect, slender, rigid, terete, sparingly 
branched from the base upwards or simple, with filiform branchlets, 
finely tubercled, 3 — 4 dm. high, about 1 mm. in diam. below the middle; 
leaf-sheaths closely convolute, oblong, acute, subulate-aristate, coria- 
ceous, membranous at the margins, smooth, red-brown, often with 
exserted woolly scales in the axils, 6 — 8 mm. long; male spikelets 
numerous, in sparsely-branched spicate cymes, cylindric- oblong, acute, 
many-flowered, 4 — 5 mm. long; spathes closely convolute, oblong, 
obtuse, subulate-mucronate, coriaceous, narrow-membranous at the 
margins, red-brown, about 3 mm. long; bracts closely imbricate, spathe- 
like, but thinner, 2 mm. long; flowers shortly stipitate, lanceolate, 
acute, equalling the bracts; perianth-segments linear-oblong, acute, 
membranous, subequal; the outer lateral villous-carinate; the anterior 
slightly villous on the midrib; female spikelets 1 — 3, in lax spicate 
cymes, narrow-cylindric, acute, tapered at the base, ovoid when in 
fruit, 4 — 5-flowered, 7 — 8 mm. long; spathes closely convolute, oblong, 
obtuse, subulate-aristate, coriaceous, smooth, red-brown, 3 — 4 mm. 
long; bracts closely imbricate, ovate-oblong, obtuse, subulate-mucronate, 
coriaceous, smooth, membranous at the margins, 3 mm. long; flowers 
shortly stipitate, lanceolate, acute, about equalling the bracts; perianth- 
segments membranous; the outer oblong-lanceolate, acute; the lateral 
villous-carinate; the anterior dorsally rounded, slightly villous on the 
midrib; the inner segments oblong-ovate, acute, shorter than the outer; 
ovary 2-celled, subglobose, compressed; styles 2, united to shortly 
above the base; capsule 2- or, by abortion, 1 -seeded; seeds oblong-ovate, 
subtrigonous, smooth, shiny, spotted purple-brown. 
Cape Province: Karroo Region; Worcester Div., hills at Touws 
River, Bolus, 7456, $ ! 9210, d and ? !. Marloth, 3157, d and $ !. 
Allied to R.ferruginosus, Link, but differs with shorter stems, closely 
convolute leaf-sheaths, smaller male spikelets and fewer female spikelets. 
Restio humilis, Pillans, R. trifloro accedit, sed rhizomatibus reptantibus, 
caidibus levibus, spiculis paucioribus distinguitur. 
