NOVITATES AFRICAN AE 
77 
cm. longa, 2 — 3-5 mm. lata diametroque; pedunculi saepius 0-5 — 1 cm., 
rarius ad 2-2 cm., longi, infra medium vel prope bgisin bracteati; alabas- 
trum subcompressum; sepala 5, oblonga obtusa, 2 apice subcucullata, 
ad 5 mm. longa; staminodia nulla; stamina ad 5 mm. longa; glandulae 
5, discretae crenulatae; ovarium supra medio subconico-elevatum, 
5-lobatum, stigmatibus 4 mm. longis vel ultra. 
Cape Province: South-Western Region; Riversdale Div., Oakdale, 
fl. Oct.-Nov. 1926, Dr John Muir, 3962. 
Described from ample living material sent by Dr Muir, who supplies 
the following interesting facts : “ Grows in brack places in green patches. 
It gives many little upright or diffuse stems from prostrate sarmentose 
ones which have to be loosened by the fingers all along the stems. The 
flowers when young are white or with the slightest mauve or flesh tint 
at the tips of the petals. As they get older the colour deepens and becomes 
more pink, as in some of the § Splendentia. It is usually so densely inter- 
woven with Salicornia hottentotica, C. E. Moss (the only Salicornia in 
non-maritime localities), and Kleinia radicans that these plants are 
pulled up together.” 
The var. intertextum chiefly differs from the typical form (which is very 
near M. praecultum, N.E.Br.) in having the leaves rather less swollen, 
with the keel more obvious, and with the papillae less elevated; and the 
longer stigmas. 
Mesembrianthemum octojuge, L. Bolirs. Erectum glabrum, 7-5 cm. altum, 
caule basi ad 5 mm. diam., copiose ramosum, ramis adscendentibus, sat 
confertis, subcarnosis; folia adscendentia vel fere patentia, supra plana, 
obtuse carinata, lateribus convexis, juniora marginibus carinaque plus 
minusve conspicue 1 — 3-denticulata, levia viridia, vagina, ut videtur, 
2 — 3 mm. longa, vagina vera tantum 1 mm. longa, saepius 1 — 1-2 cm. 
longa, ad 5 mm. lata, 3 — 4 mm. diam. ; flores solitarii, meridie expansi, 
ad 3-3 cm. diam., breviter pedunculata, bracteis apicem receptaculi fere 
attingentibus vel parum brevioribus; receptaculum turbinatum, apice 
9 mm. diam. ; sepala 4 inter se inaequalia, 2 crassa obtusa carinata, carina 
obscure denticulata, T2 cm. longa, 2 subacuta membranaceo-marginata, 
8 — 9 mm. longa; petala 3 — 4-seriata, intima brevissima, linearia, inferne 
angustata, obtusa, ad T6 cm. longa, 1 — T5 mm. lata; stamina erecta 
cylindrico-conferta, 6 mm. diam., staminodiis albis, 6 mm. longis, circum- 
data, filamentis ad 6 mm. longis, ebarbatis, antheris pollineque pallide 
luteis; discus annularis crenulatus, 7 mm. diam. ; ovarium supra convexum, 
prof unde 8-lobum, stigmatibus 8, anguste subulatis acuminatis, 5 mm. 
longis, fere ad apicem staminum attingentibus; capsula imperfecta (anni 
prioris) 8-locularis, valvae carinis superne divergentibus, in membranam 
acuminatam terminantibus, loculi alis loculos fere omnino tegentibus, 
