NOVITATES AFRICANAE 
87 
longae, cum vagina 3 mm. longa; receptaculum turbinatum, ca. 5 mm. 
longum ; sepala 5, inter se subaequilonga, lanceolata vel ovato-lanceolata, 
acuminata, 6 — 7 mm. longa, 3 anguste membranaceo-marginata; petala 
2-seriata linearia, inferne vix, vel tantum leviter, angustata, acuta vel 
subobtusa, integra roseo-purpurea, 1-1 cm. longa, ad 1-5 mm. lata: 
stamina subconico-collecta, apice 2 mm. diam., staminodiis roseis circum- 
data, filamentis pallide roseis, inferne albis barbatis, antheris pollineque 
pallide luteis; discus annularis crenulatus brunneus, 5 mm. diam. ; ovarium 
supra convexum, 5-lobum, omnino in receptaculo inclusum, ovulis parieti 
exteriori affixis, stigmatibus 5, anguste subulatis acuminatis, 4 mm. longis. 
Cape Province: Karroo Region; Laingsburg Div., summit of Witteberg, 
alt. 5000 ft., fl. Oct. 28, 1926, R. H. Compton, 3075. 
A very distinct species. The lower portion of a flowering-branchlet 
shows the hardened remains of 6 fruits. These, by reason of the very short 
axillary shoot which carries on the growth each year, appear to be lateral 
and present the semblance of an equilateral raceme. 
Mesembrianthemum paripetalum, L. Bolus. Robustum, 30 — 60 cm. altum 
(fide Pillans), ramis rigidis patentibus, cortice griseo, 20 cm. longis, ad 
8 mm. diam., internodiis saepius 1 — 2-5 cm. longis, ramulis adscenden- 
tibus vel erectis, dense 2 — 6-foliatis; folia demum fere patentia, connata, 
vagina foliorum juniorum ad 7 mm. longa, saepius 2 — 3 mm. longa, 
subtus inferne convexa, superne carinata, supra plana, lateribus convexis, 
superne leviter attenuata, junior a rigide apiculata et apice interdum 
subrecurvata, minute lepidota itaque tactu subvelutina, 2 — 3-2 cm. longa, 
ad 1-2 cm. lata diametroque; flores solitarii, meridie expansi, vix ad 2-7 
cm. diam., pedunculo 0-5 — 1-4 cm. longo, medio vel parum supra medium 
bracteato; receptaculum clavatum; sepala 6, inter se inaequilonga, 
oblongo-lanceolata vel oblongo-ovata acuminata apiculata, 0-7 — 1 cm. 
longa, 3 anguste membranaceo-marginata; petala ca. 35, fere omnia inter 
se aequilonga, linearia, inferne leviter angustata, acuta vel rarius obtusa, 
1-2 cm. longa, 1 — 1-5 mm. lata; stamina conicorcollecta, apice 3 mm. diam., 
staminodiis filiformibus albis circumdata, filamentis inferne albis, superne 
saturate aureo-rubris, 4 — 7 mm. longis, antheris pollineque pallidis; 
discus annularis crenulatus ; ovarium supra planum vel leviter concavum, 
stigmatibus 6, anguste subulatis, setaceo-acuminatis, 5 mm. longis; 
capsula supra plana vel fere plana, ad 1-1 cm. diam., valvis aqua expansis 
ad 1-7 cm. diam., carinis valvae inter se fere per 1 mm. distantibus, 
superne magis divergentibus, basi ad 1-5 mm. altis (vel latis), superne 
angustatis, loculi alis membranaceis dimidium tegentibus et tuberculo, 
parum infra apicem posito, albido, ca. 1 mm. diam., onustis, seminibus 
parieti exteriore positis, subpyriformibus, basi leviter obliquis, pallide 
brunneis, levibus. 
6-2 
