Part 1

THE FLOWERING PLANTS OF SOUTH AFRICA.

A MAGAZINE CONTAINING HAND-COLOURED FIGURES WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FLOWERING PLANTS INDIGENOUS TO SOUTH AFRICA.

EDITED BY I. B. POLE EVANS, C.M.G., M.A., D.Sc., F.L.S., Chief, Division of Botany and Plant Pathology, Department of Agriculture, Pretoria; and Director of the Botanical Survey of the Union of South Africa.

VOL. V.

[Illustration]

The veld which lies so desolate and bare Will blossom into cities white and fair, And pinnacles will pierce the desert air, And sparkle in the sun.

R. C. MACFIE’S “EX UNITATE VIRES.”

LONDON: L. REEVE & CO., LTD., HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN, LONDON

SOUTH AFRICA: THE SPECIALTY PRESS OF SOUTH AFRICA, LTD., P.O. BOX 3958, JOHANNESBURG; P.O. BOX 388, CAPETOWN. 1925.

[_All rights reserved._]

THIS VOLUME IS CORDIALLY DEDICATED TO THOMAS PEARSON STOKOE OF CAPE TOWN

WHOSE INDEFATIGABLE EXERTIONS IN EXPLORING THE FLORA OF THE CAPE MOUNTAINS HAVE RENDERED VALUABLE SERVICE TO SOUTH AFRICAN BOTANY BY THE DISCOVERY OF NEW PLANTS AND THE RE-DISCOVERY OF MANY THAT WERE LONG LOST, AND TO WHOSE ZEAL, ENTHUSIASM, AND GENEROSITY AS A COLLECTOR THIS WORK IS GREATLY INDEBTED.

DIVISION OF BOTANY, PRETORIA. _October, 1925._

[Illustration: 161.]

PLATE 161.

COTYLEDON ORBICULATA.

_Cape Province, Transvaal._

CRASSULACEAE.

COTYLEDON, _Linn._; _Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant._ vol. i. p. 659.

* * * * *

=Cotyledon orbiculata=, _Linn. Sp. Pl._ 614; _Fl. Cap._ vol. ii. p. 371.

* * * * *

_Cotyledon orbiculata_ was first figured in the _Botanical Magazine_ in 1795, and stated to have been introduced into English gardens about the year 1690. The genus _Cotyledon_ differs from _Crassula_ (see Plate 115) by having twice as many stamens as petals. It is a large genus in South Africa, and represented by between 30 to 40 species. Several species of the genus are of economic interest inasmuch as they produce disease in stock. The well-known “Krimptziekte” of goats is caused by _C. Wallichii_. The Division of Veterinary Education and Research carried out some feeding experiments with _C. orbiculata_ in 1921 at Grahamstown, and definitely proved that feeding the leaves to fowls caused death.

Our plate was prepared from specimens grown at the Division of Botany, Pretoria. The plant goes under the common names of “hondenoor,” “Konterie,” “Varkens ooren,” and “pig’s-ear.”

DESCRIPTION:--Low shrubby somewhat succulent plant. _Stem_ with light-brown bark. _Leaves_ opposite, 6·5 to 8 cm. long, 4 to 4·5 cm. broad, obovate, subacute, glabrous, glaucous, with red margins. _Peduncle_ up to 27 cm. long, 8 mm. in diameter, terete, reddish in colour with a whitish bloom. _Inflorescence_ a panicle of cymes. _Calyx-tube_ almost none; lobes 5 mm. long, ovate, acute. _Corolla-tube_ 2·8 cm. long, 1·5 cm. in diameter; lobes 2 cm. long, 7 mm. broad, oblong, obtuse, slightly twisted counter-clockwise. _Stamens_ 10, five shorter inserted near the base of the corolla-tube, with a ring of hairs at the point of attachment and produced below the hairs into a strong rib; filaments subterete; anthers ovate. _Carpels_ as long as the shorter stamens. _Glands_ forming a deep concave body at the base of each carpel.

PLATE 161.--Fig. 1, longitudinal median section of the flower; Fig. 2, gynæcium, showing glands; Fig. 3, stamen; Fig. 4, tuft of hairs on filament; Fig. 5, side view of gland at base of carpel.

F.P.S.A., 1925.

[Illustration: 162.]

PLATE 162.

SYNNOTIA BICOLOR.

_Cape Province._

IRIDACEAE. Tribe IXIEAE.

SYNNOTIA, _Sweet_; _Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant._ vol. iii. p. 709.

* * * * *

=Synnotia bicolor=, _Sweet_, _Hort. Brit._ ed. 2, p. 501; _Fl. Cap._ vol. vi. p. 134.

* * * * *

This species was introduced into the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew by George Masson in 1786, and was described as a _Gladiolus_, and later in the _Botanical Magazine_ (t. 548) as a species of _Ixia_. From the former genus it is readily distinguished by the membranous lacerated spathe-valves and from the latter by the unilateral stamens.

The plant is rather stiff, but the individual flowers are quite charming. As will be seen from the illustration, the flowers resemble in general shape those of _Gladiolus orchidi-florus_ shown at Plate 165 of this work.

Our specimen was prepared from plants grown by Dr. I. B. Pole Evans, C.M.G., from corms forwarded by Mrs. E. Rood of van Rhynsdorp.

DESCRIPTION:--_Corm_ ellipsoid, 3 cm. long, 1·5 cm. in diameter, covered with fine reticulated sheaths. _Leaves_ 7 in a basal distichous rosette, 8 to 11 cm. long, 0·7 to 1·4 cm. broad, linear-oblong, very acute, with 1 more or less evident mid-rib, but many-veined when viewed in transmitted light. _Peduncle_ about 12 cm. long, flexuose, bearing about 6 distant flowers. _Outer spathe-valves_ 1 cm. long, deeply 3-partite, inner 2-partite. _Perianth_ distinctly 2-lipped; tube 1·5 cm. long, widening upwards; posterior segment 2·5 cm. long, erect, clawed, with an ovate obtuse limb; side-segments 1·7 cm. long, 6 mm. broad, more or less oblong, obtuse, spreading-reflexed; 3 anterior segments more or less horizontal and forming a distinct lip. _Style_ as long as the stamens, divided into 3 lobes dilated at the apex. (National Herb. Pretoria, No. 2860.)

PLATE 162.--Fig. 1, median longitudinal section of flower; Fig. 2, spathe-valve; Fig. 3, stamen; Fig. 4, style showing stigmas; Fig. 5, fruit.

F.P.S.A., 1925.

[Illustration: 163.]

PLATE 163.

GLADIOLUS TRICHOSTACHYS.

_Transvaal._

IRIDACEAE. Tribe IXIEAE.

GLADIOLUS, _Linn._; _Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant._ vol. iii. p. 709.

* * * * *

=Gladiolus trichostachys=, _Baker in Bull._ _Herb. Boiss._ ser. II. vol. iv. p. 1006.

* * * * *

This charming little _Gladiolus_ was first found by Conrath at Irene, near Pretoria, and was again collected by Dr. I. B. Pole Evans, C.M.G., in the same locality. It was described by Baker, with several other Transvaal species, in 1904, but is here figured for the first time.

The plant produces a single erect flowering stem with clasping leaves scarcely produced above. The species belongs to the Section _Hebea_, which we have illustrated on Plates 63 and 165 (_G. alatus_, _G. orchidiflorus_), and is closely related to _G. permeabilis_, a species common in the Cape Province, but which also extends into Bechuanaland. It is, however, easily distinguished from this species by the non-produced leaves and hairy stems.

Our illustration was made from the specimens collected by Dr. I. B. Pole Evans, C.M.G., at Irene.

DESCRIPTION:--_Bulb_ 2 cm. in diameter, globose, covered with brown fibres. _Stem_ pilose on the lower half. _Leaves_ clasping the stem, sheath pilose, hardly produced. _Inflorescence_ 13 cm. long, 7-to 10-flowered. _Outer spathe-valves_ 1·5 cm. long, somewhat membranous above, entire, bifid or trifid; inner spathe-valves similar to the outer, bifid. _Stamens_ shorter than the style; anthers somewhat sagittate at the base. _Style-branches_ cuneate, fimbriate on the edges.

PLATE 163.--Fig. 1, plant much reduced; Fig. 2, median longitudinal section of flower; Fig. 3, outer spathe-valve; Fig. 4, inner spathe-valve; Fig. 5, anther; Fig. 6, portion of style with style branches.

F.P.S.A., 1925.

[Illustration: 164.]

PLATE 164.

ALOE CHABAUDII.

_Rhodesia._

LILIACEAE. Tribe ALOINEAE.

ALOE, _Linn._; _Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant._ vol. iii. p. 776.

* * * * *

=Aloe Chabaudii=, _Schonl. in Gard. Chron._ 1905, p. 162.

* * * * *

Dr. Schonland in his description of this _Aloe_ in the _Gardeners’ Chronicle_ states that it is allied to _A. striata_, and a reference to our Plate 55 will show the similarity of the flowers in the two species. The specimens from which the original description was prepared were collected by Mr. J. M. Brown in Rhodesia, but the exact locality is not known. They were grown and flowered by Mr. J. A. Chabaud of Port Elizabeth. The plant is erect with a short stem, and has not the reclining habit of _A. striata_. It is very suitable for large rockeries, and makes an effective display when in flower.

Our plate was prepared from specimens grown at the Division of Botany, Pretoria.

DESCRIPTION:--Acaulescent or almost so. _Leaves_ 18 to 24, forming an irregular rosette, up to 45 cm. long and 15 cm. broad near the base, about 2 cm. thick, ovate-lanceolate, unspotted, somewhat glaucous; upper surface indistinctly striate, nearly flat, except near the apex, where it is channelled; lower surface slightly convex; margin with a narrow horny border; prickles 1·5 mm. long or even smaller, at first flesh-coloured, brown in older leaves, straight or (especially in the upper portion of the leaf) curved forward, about 1·5 cm. apart, interspaces straight. _Inflorescence_ a loose panicle, with squarrose ascending branches 60 to 80 cm. in height, about 45 cm. in diameter; racemes lax, floriferous portion 15 to 20 cm. long; bracts deltoid, acuminate, membranous, lowest about 6 mm. long, upper gradually smaller; pedicels spreading, lowest 2 cm. long, upper only slightly smaller; perianth 3·5 cm. long, slightly curved, distinctly obconical at the base, swollen round the ovary, with three decided oblong indentations above it (in a line with the inner segments); outer segments pale brick-red with nearly white wings near the apex, inner with red median line and pale wings, which are yellowish at the apex; tube of corolla nearly two-thirds its length; filaments yellow, slightly exceeding the perianth in length, anthers pale terra-cotta; ovary broadly oblong, green; style yellow, not exserted; stigma very small, capitate (S. Schonland).

PLATE 164.--Fig. 1, median longitudinal section of flower; Fig. 2, bract; Fig. 3, anther; Fig. 4, apex of style.

F.P.S.A., 1925. [Illustration: 165.]

PLATE 165.

GLADIOLUS ORCHIDIFLORUS.

_Cape Province._

IRIDACEAE. Tribe IXIEAE.

GLADIOLUS, _Linn._; _Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant._ vol. iii. p. 709.

* * * * *

=Gladiolus orchidiflorus= _Andr. Bot. Rep._ t. 241; _Fl. Cap._ vol. vi. p. 160.

* * * * *

In the _Botanical Magazine_ for the year 1803 (Plate 688) appeared an excellent figure of this species under the name _Gladiolus viperatus_, which was given owing to a fanciful resemblance to “the head and appearance of the jaws of the snake when raising itself for defence against its enemy and hissing.” Prior to the figure above quoted Jacquin illustrated the same species (1781-1786).

Like most species of _Gladiolus_, it lends itself to cultivation and is easily grown in pots.

A comparison of this plate of _G. orchidiflorus_ and Plate 63 (_G. alatus_ var. _namaquensis_) should be made with other plates of _Gladiolus_ figured. The two species belong to the section _Hebea_, all the members of which may be easily recognised by the long claws to the perianth-segments.

The plants from which our illustration was made were grown by Dr. I. B. Pole Evans, C.M.G., at Irene, near Pretoria, from corms sent by Mrs. E. Rood of van Rhynsdorp.

DESCRIPTION:--_Corm_ 2·5 cm. diameter, depressed-globose, covered with fibrous tunics. _Produced leaves_ 4; lowest leaf with a lanceolate-linear blade, 6·5 cm. long, 8 mm. broad, prominently 2-ribbed; upper leaves up to 30 cm. long, 5 to 8 mm. broad, linear, acuminate, acute, with 2 of the ribs more prominent than the others, glabrous. _Inflorescence_ about half as long as the leaves, laxly few-flowered. _Perianth_ very unequal; the uppermost segment long-clawed and with an oblong obtuse blade membranous on the margins, arched over the flower and the style and stamens; side segments broadly ovate, clawed, and produced into an acuminate point; lower segments more or less forming a lip, spathulate, long-clawed, obtuse. _Stamens_ arched under the uppermost segment and completely hidden by it. _Style_ arched under the uppermost segment, projecting beyond its apex; lobes spathulate, papillose round the edges. (National Herb. Pretoria, No. 2858.)

PLATE 165.--Fig. 1, plant much reduced; Fig. 2, median longitudinal section of flower; Fig. 3, corm; Fig. 4, spathe-valve; Fig. 5, stamen; Fig. 6, top of style showing the 3 stigmas; Fig. 7, fruit.

F.P.S.A., 1925. [Illustration: 166.]

PLATE 166.

LACHENALIA TRICOLOR. var. LUTEOLA.

_Cape Province._

LILIACEAE. Tribe SCILLEAE.

LACHENALIA, _Jacq._; _Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant._ vol. iii. p. 807.

* * * * *

=Lachenalia tricolor=, _Thunb._ var. =luteola=, _Baker_.; _Jacq. Collect._ vol. iv. p. 148; _Ic._ vol. ii. p. 16, t. 395; _Fl. Cap._ vol. vi. p. 424.

* * * * *

The _Lachenalia_ figured on the accompanying plate is among the most graceful species in the genus. It is closely allied to _L. pendula_, illustrated on Plate 158, but is distinguished by having the inner perianth-segments much longer than the outer. The plant was known to horticulturists in Europe almost 150 years ago, and was figured in colour between 1786 and 1793 by Jacquin, and again in the _Botanical Magazine_ in 1807.

_L. tricolor_ grows in the sandy parts of the Cape Province, but lends itself to cultivation in pots. It has been successfully grown at Irene, near Pretoria, by Dr. I. B. Pole Evans, C.M.G., from bulbs supplied by Lady Smartt of “Glen Ban,” Stellenbosch, C.P., and from these specimens our illustration was made.

In the young flowering stage the buds are quite green, but become yellow in the lower half as they grow older, while in the adult flower the colour is a deep chrome (R. C. S.).

DESCRIPTION:--_Bulb_ globose, 1·3 cm. in diameter, with long white roots from the base. _Leaves_ 2, up to 17 cm. long, 2·5 cm. broad at the base, 2 cm. broad above, strap-shaped, obtuse, glabrous. _Peduncle_ up to 16 cm. long, terete, green, spotted with brown. _Flowers_ racemose, pendulous, each flower arising from a small pocket formed by the bract. _Bract_ 3 mm. long, ovate-lanceolate, obtuse, with a conical blunt spur. _Outer perianth-segments_ 1·6 cm. long, oblong, obtuse, one slightly beaked below the apex; inner segments 2·6 cm. long, widened upwards, obtuse. Stamens hardly exerted. _Style_ as long as the stamens, penicillate at the apex. (National Herb. Pretoria, No. 2857.)

* * * * *

PLATE 166.--Fig. 1, whole plant much reduced; Fig. 2, median longitudinal section of the flower; Fig. 3, bulb; Fig. 4, part of peduncle showing pocket-like bracts; Fig. 5, stamen; Fig. 6, upper portion of style showing stigma.

F.P.S.A., 1925. [Illustration: 167.]

PLATE 167.

CRASSULA ROSULARIS.

_Cape Province_, _Natal_.

CRASSULACEAE.

CRASSULA, _Linn._; _Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant._ vol. i. p. 657.

* * * * *

=Crassula rosularis=, _Harv._; _Fl. Cap._ vol. ii. p. 350.

* * * * *

_Crassula rosularis_ belongs to the section _Rosulares_, which is characterised by having rosulate flat radical leaves and a scape-like flowering stem. Unlike so many species of _Crassula_, it is a shade-loving plant.

The plant from which our illustration was made was found growing under Aloes near Greytown in Natal, whence it extends southwards to Uitenhage. It is a dainty little plant, and would thrive on a shaded rockery if supplied with humus and a fair amount of moisture. In its choice of habitat it resembles very much _C. flabellifolia_, _C. Saxifraga_ and _C. Septas_.

We are indebted to Lady Leuchars for the specimens.

DESCRIPTION:--An acaulescent plant. _Leaves_ rosulate, radical; lower leaves spathulate-oblong, about 5 cm. long; the upper leaves becoming gradually smaller and broadly ovate; all with cartilaginous-ciliated margins. _Peduncle_ scape-like, glabrous. _Flowers_ in peduncled cymes, arranged in a panicle on a common peduncle. _Pedicels_ about 2 mm. long. _Calyx_ half as long as the corolla; lobes lanceolate-oblong, ciliate. _Petals_ obovate-oblong, with a dorsal apiculus just below the apex. _Stamens_ 5, almost as long as the petals and alternating with them. _Glands_ of 5 scales opposite the carpels. _Carpels_ 5; styles short; stigmas capitate. (National Herb. Pretoria, No. 2859.)

PLATE 167.--Fig. 1, median longitudinal section of flower; Fig. 2, carpels; Fig. 3, stamens.

F.P.S.A., 1925. [Illustration: 168.]

PLATE 168.

LISSOCHILUS SPECIOSUS.

_Cape Province, Natal, Transvaal._

ORCHIDACEAE. Tribe Vandeae.

LISSOCHILUS, _R. Br._; _Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant._ vol. iii. p. 536.

* * * * *

=Lissochilus speciosus=, _R. Br._ ex _Lindl. Coll. Bot._ t. 31; _Fl. Cap._ vol. v. sect. iii. p. 59.

* * * * *

_Lissochilus speciosus_ is one of the more common species of the genus and has a wide range of distribution. It is found in the Uitenhage Division, and then follows the coastal belt northwards, through the Transkei into Natal, and up to the northern spurs of the Drakensbergen in the Transvaal. The species has also been recorded from Mazoe in Rhodesia. Robert Brown’s genus _Lissochilus_, which he founded in 1821, was based on this species. But the late Dr. H. Bolus placed it in the genus _Eulophia_, and redescribed the plant as _Eulophia speciosa_ in 1890, and figured it under the same name in 1911 (_Orchids of South Africa_, vol. ii. t. 13).

The specimen from which our plate was made was found by Misses H. Forbes and S. Gower at Isipingo, Natal, and grown at the Division of Botany, Pretoria. It is common all along the slopes of the sandhills of the Southern Natal coast.

DESCRIPTION:--Pseudobulbs ovoid, 5 cm. or more long, with a few ovate sheaths, 3-to 5-leaved; leaves elongate, linear, acute, somewhat fleshy, without prominent veins, conduplicate below, not articulated above the base, 15 to 30 cm. or more long, 2 to 2·5 cm. or more broad; scapes erect, stout, up to nearly 1 m. long, with several spathaceous sheaths; racemes long, somewhat lax, many flowered, flowers medium-sized, bracts ovate-oblong to ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, 2 to 2·5 cm. long; pedicels 2 to 2·5 cm. long; sepals ovate to ovate-oblong, subacute or acute, reflexed, green, about 1 cm. long; petals spreading, broadly ovate or ovate-suborbicular, subobtuse, about 2 cm. long, bright yellow; lip 3-lobed, nearly as long as the petals; side-lobes suberect, short and transversely oblong, white with a few reddish lines; front lobe broadly elliptic, obtuse, reflexed at the sides, yellow with a few reddish lines at the base; disc convex, with 3 obtuse keels; spur very short, broadly conical, obtuse, column oblong, 6 mm. long (_Flora Capensis_).

PLATE 168.--Fig. 1, plant much reduced: Fig. 2, median longitudinal section of flower; Fig. 3, bract; Fig. 4, anthers; Fig. 5, back view of anthers.

F.P.S.A., 1925. [Illustration: 169.]

PLATE 169.

ALOE FEROX.

_Cape Province_, _Natal_, _Transvaal_.

LILIACEAE. Tribe ALOINEAE.

ALOE, _Linn._; _Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant._ vol. iii. p. 776.

* * * * *

=Aloe ferox=, _Miller, Gard. Dict._ ed. viii. No. 22; _Fl. Cap._ vol. vi. p. 326.

* * * * *

This species of _Aloe_ is unique among the South African representatives of the genus as being of some economic importance. The thick juice of the leaves yields the commercial product “aloes.” The method of preparing “aloes” is as follows: A hole is scooped in the ground and lined with a skin, and the cut ends of the leaves are placed on the skin so that the juice exudes and collects. The thick juice is then heated, and on cooling the “aloes” crystallise out.

_Aloe ferox_ is very common in parts of the south-eastern Cape Province and in the midlands of Natal, and the plants form a very characteristic feature in the landscape. Plants may reach a height of 8 to 12 feet, and the simple stem is crowned with a dense rosette of leaves, while the lower portion of the stem is covered with the remains of the leaves.

Our plate was prepared from a specimen flowering at the Division of Botany, Pretoria.

DESCRIPTION:--_Stem_ simple. _Leaves_ many in a dense terminal rosette, varying from 0·5 to 1 m. long, 10 to 15 cm. broad below and gradually narrowing above, convex on the lower surface, concave on the upper surface, prickly on the edges; prickles stout, slightly recurved. _Inflorescence_ a terminal branched raceme. _Racemes_ up to 0·6 m. long, very dense. _Bracts_ ovate, cuspidate. _Perianth-segments_ 1·3 cm. long, 8 mm. broad, oblong, cucullate at the apex. _Filaments_ linear; anthers not much broader than the filaments. _Style_ cylindric, stigma simple.

PLATE 169.--Fig. 1, leaf (× 1/8); Fig. 2, margin of leaf showing prickles; Fig. 3, cross-section of leaf; Fig. 4, bract; Fig. 5, flower bud; Fig. 6, mature flower; Fig. 7, perianth-segments; Fig. 8, portion of inner and outer perianth-segments; Fig. 9, stamens, front and back view.

F.P.S.A., 1925. [Illustration: 170.]

PLATE 170.

LEUCADENDRON HUMIFUSUM.

_Cape Province._

PROTEACEAE. Tribe PROTEAE.

LEUCADENDRON, _R. Br._; _Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant._ vol. iii. p. 169.

* * * * *

=Leucadendron humifusum=, _E. Mey. in Drege, Zwei. Pfl. Documente_, pp. 64, 118, 198; _Fl. Cap._ vol. v. sect. i. p. 549.

* * * * *

This interesting species of _Leucadendron_ was first collected by Drege between the years 1826 and 1829, and then completely lost sight of, as none of the later collectors are credited with finding it again. In August, 1922, Mr. T. P. Stokoe came across the plant on the Hottentot Holland Mountains, and thus had the honour of bringing to the notice of South African botanists a species which had not been collected for almost one hundred years. We take this opportunity of giving a fuller description of the plant than that appearing in the _Flora Capensis_, and describe the female plant for the first time.

DESCRIPTION:--A shrub. _Branches_ tomentose, at length becoming glabrous. _Leaves_ 3·5 to 7 cm. long, 0·7 to 1·6 cm. broad (those surrounding the heads a little larger), oblong or oblong-lanceolate, with a blunt callous apex, slightly narrowed to a rather broad base, with 3 distinct veins from above the base, glabrous. _Male head_ sessile, 2·5 to 3 cm. long (including the flowers), 2·5 cm. in diameter, surrounded by about 8 series of involucral bracts. _Involucral bracts_ 1·15 to 1·3 cm. long, 8 to 8·5 mm. broad, oblong, the outer shortly cuspidate and with ciliated margins, inner rounded at the apex and without cilia, all glabrous. _Receptacle_ 1 cm. high, 1 cm. in diameter, club-shaped. _Perianth-tube_ 7 mm. long, somewhat compressed, glabrous; lobes 8 mm. long, linear, obtuse at the apex, glabrous. _Anthers_ 5 mm. long, linear. _Style_ 1·1 cm. long, terete, pilose below; stigma faintly two-lobed. _Female-head_ 1·6 cm. long, 2 cm. in diameter, surrounded by about 4 series of involucral bracts. _Involucral bracts_ 1·2 to 1·5 cm. long, up to 1·4 cm. broad, ovate, shortly cuspidate, obtuse, the outer ciliated, the inner without cilia, all glabrous. _Receptacle_ 1 cm. high, 6 mm. broad, conical. _Perianth-tube_ 8 mm. long, compressed, long-pilose; limb 2 mm. long, linear, obtuse, glabrous. _Staminodes_ 0·75 mm. long. _Ovary_ 1 mm. long, 0·75 mm. in diameter, ellipsoid, pilose; style 1 cm. long, linear, gradually narrowing to the base; stigma flat and oblique.

PLATE 170.--Fig. 1, female head; Fig. 2, bract; Fig. 3, longitudinal section of female head; Fig. 4, female flower; Fig. 5, pistil; Fig. 6, male head; Fig. 7, bract; Fig. 8, longitudinal section of male head; Fig. 9, male flower.

F.P.S.A., 1925. [Illustration: 171.]

PLATE 171.

ALOE MARLOTHII.

_Transvaal._

LILACEAE. Tribe ALOINEAE.

ALOE, _Linn._; _Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant._ vol. iii. p. 776.

* * * * *

=Aloe Marlothii=, _Berger in Engl. Bot. Jahrb._ vol. xxxviii. p. 87.

* * * * *

_Aloe Marlothii_ is a very close ally of _A. ferox_ figured on Plate 169, but a careful comparison of the two will show points of difference which enables one to distinguish the two species. The inflorescence in _A. Marlothii_ has the primary branches horizontal and the flowers are more or less on one side of the axis, and not arranged so as to form a cylindric raceme, as in _A. ferox_. The leaves of the species also differ, those of _A. Marlothii_ being concave-convex in cross-section and with both the upper and lower surfaces bearing prickles, while in _A. ferox_ the leaf is biconvex in cross-section.

Plants of _A. Marlothii_ up to 15 ft. high are often found, and they make a very ornamental show in the rockery.

Our plate was prepared from specimens grown at the Division of Botany, Pretoria.

DESCRIPTION:--_Leaves_ up to 1 m. long, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, acute, concave-convex in cross-section, prickly on the face and back, with the margins armed with prickles. _Inflorescence_ a branched raceme, with the primary branches horizontal. _Flowers_ more or less secund. _Bracts_ broadly ovate, shortly acuminate. _Perianth_ tubular. _Stamens_ at length exserted. _Ovary_ ellipsoid, style cylindric, at length exserted; stigma small.