NOYITATES AFRICANAE 
83 
obtusa, 3 membranaceo-marginata, 4 — 5 mm. longa, post anthesin in- 
curvata, ad ovarium adpressa; petala 19 — 24, 1-seriata, alba linearia, 
interne parum attenuata, obtusa, 7 mm. longa, 1 mm. lata; stamina 
conico-collecta, apice 1-5 mm. diam., mox erecta, sublaxa, staminodiis 
nullis, filamentis albis, interioribus barbatis, ad 5 mm. longis, antheris 
pollineque pallidis; glandulae 5, conspicuae semilunatae; ovarium supra 
convexum, stigmatibus 5, filiformibus, demum stamina parum exce- 
dentibus, ad 5 mm. longis. 
Cape Province: South-Western Region; Riversdale Div., Phisanti- 
fontein, Klein Karroo, Dr John Muir, 3951 . 
Described from living specimens received from Dr Muir in October 1926. 
The drawing of M. maculatum, Haw., preserved at Kew, is so extremely 
like the present species that the two may, therefore, be identical. But 
in the Revisiones, p. 182, Haworth places his species in the group with 
large, orange-red or yellow flowers and describes the leaves as being 
compressed-semicylindric. These characteristics appear to offer sufficient 
reason for distinguishing the present species, whose affinity is with M. 
hrevifolium, Ait. 
Mesembrianthemum capillare, L. f. var. acutifolium, L. Bolus. Lignosum, 
caule basi ad 6 mm. diam., ramis primariis adscendentibus, saepe tortuosis, 
basi ad 3 mm. diam., junioribus elongatis, saepe decumbentibus, ad 25 cm. 
longis, internodiis 1-5 — 2-5 cm. longis, ultimis capillaribus; folia saepius 
fere patentia, lateraliter visa e basi gradatim ampliata, abrupte acuta, 
apiculata, apiculo stricto vel subrecurvato, supra plana, subtus inferne 
convexa, superne inconspicue carinata, lateribus convexis, laete viridia, 
minute crebreque papillosa, saepius 6 — 8 mm. longa, fere ad 2 mm. lata, 
2 — 3 mm. diam.; flores copiosi, meridie expansi, ad 1-2 cm. diam.; 
pedunculi saepius 1 — 2 cm. longi, rarius longiores ; receptaculum perbreve 
subcrateriforme; sepala 5, inter se fere aequilonga, lanceolata acuta, fere 
ad 4 mm. longa, 3 membranaceo-marginata; petala 1-seriata, saturate 
roseo-purpurea, linearia obtusa, inferne vix angustata, 5 mm. longa, 
•75 mm. lata; stamina erecta, sat laxa, 2 — 2-5 mm. diam., filamentis 
roseis, basin versus dense barbatis, ad 2 mm. longis, antheris pollineque 
pallide luteis; glandulae 5, conspicuae semi-lunatae atro-virides; ovarium 
supra convexum 5-lobatum, stigmatibus 5, anguste subulatis, acuminatis, 
1-5 mm. longis (in flore non bene evoluto). 
Cape Province: South-Western Region; Riversdale Div., Klein Karroo, 
Dr John Muir, 3952. 
Dr Muir states that this “forms a dense cushiony bush several feet 
across by 9 inches high. Almost hidden in reddish flowers.” Described 
from ample living material which flowered in Dr Muir’s garden October- 
November, 1926. 
