84 
NOVITATES AFRICANAE 
A dried specimen sent to the Bolus Herbarium by Dr Muir in October, 
1923, shows a woody stem, 6 mm. diam. at the base, and the bead-like 
thickening at the nodes which Mr N. E. Brown describes in Bothalia, I, 
150, as being characteristic of M. capillar e, L. f. 
Mesembrianthemum Fourcadei, L. Bolus (§ Aspericaulia). Fruticulus erectus 
sat rigidus, ad 22 cm. altus, ramis ad 3 mm. diam., ramulis saepius 6 — 8 
mm. longis, 4-foliatis, inferne reliquis minutis induratis foliorum vetus- 
tiorum instructis; folia adscendentia connata, vagina 2 — 3 mm. longa, 
supra plana, subtus inferne convexa, superne compressa carinataque, 
lateraliter visa apicem versus ampliata, apice latissima, fere truncata, 
minute papillata vel margine apicali papillis conspicuis, glauco-viridia, 
interdum subpurpurascentia, saepius ad 8 mm. longa, apice ad 4-5 mm., 
basi ad 3 mm., diam.; flores solitarii, meridie expansi, ca. 1-5 cm. diam., 
pedunculis papillis magnis albis dense vestitis, 2 — 8 mm., vel terminalibus 
in fructu ad 2-5 cm., longis, bracteis prope basin positis; receptaculum 
turbinatum; sepala 6, inter se fere aequilonga, ad 4 mm. longa, 4 mem- 
branaceo-marginata; petala 2-seriata, linearia obtusa, inferne parum 
angustata, purpurea, 6 mm. longa, ad 1 mm. lata; stamina sat pauca, 
erecta sublaxa, filamentis prope basin barbatis, pallidis, antheris pol- 
lineque albidis; nectarium e 12 foveolis compositum; ovarium supra 
convexum, stigmatibus anguste subulatis, acuminatis, 3 mm. longis; 
capsula anni prioris 6 mm. diam., aqua expansa 8 mm. diam., carinis 
superne late divergentibus, membrana tegente ad basin valvae attingente, 
seminibus in parieti exteriore positis, suboblongis, 0-5 mm. longis. 
Cape Province: South-Western Region; Humansdorp Div., hills near 
Hankey, fl. Oct. 1923, H. G. Fourcade, 2771. 
Described from living specimens of which the flowers were rather 
withered. H. Bolus, 6715, fl. Dec. 1892, alt. 800 ft., Montagu, is probably 
this species. The flowers are stated. to be white. 
Mesembrianthemum delicatulum, L. Bolus (§ Aspericaulia). Gracillimum, 
erectum vel fere erectum, 10 cm. altum vel ultra, caule basi ca. 2-5 mm. 
diam., ramulis sat rigidis, internodiis saepius 5 — 9 mm. longis, floriferis 
saepius brevissimis ; folia adscendentia vel fere erecta, subglobosa, inferne 
parum angustata, supra concava, papillata, papillis sat magnis elevatis, 
2 — 3 mm., rarius ad 4 mm., longa, 2 — 2-5 mm. diam., basi connata, 
vagina 1-5 — 2 cm. longa; flores solitarii vel rarius 2-nati, saepe secundi, 
meridie expansi, 0-8 — 1 cm. diam. ; pedunculi 2 — 6 mm. longi, supra 
medium bracteati, bracteis receptaculum amplectentibus; receptaculum 
breviter obconicum, subcompressum, dense papillatum, papillis interdum 
reflexis; sepala 5, inter se fere aequilonga, oblonga obtusa, 2 foliis similia, 
apice cucullata, omnia plus minusve membranaceo-marginata, ad 2-5 mm. 
longa; petala 2-seriata, linearia, obtusa vel subacuta, inferne vix angus- 
