Page:Journal of botany, British and foreign, Volume 34 (1896).djvu/119

 NEW AFRICAN ASCLBPIADS. 99 6-lobatum excedente ; polliniis oblongis caudiculis brevibus fili- formibus. Hab. Huilla. *'In pascuis parce dumetosis prope LopoUo sporadica," Dec. 1859, Welwitsch, no. 4173. The fleshy tapering tuber is nearly 3 in. long, the rest of the plant about S^ in., with a hemispherical general outline. The radiating branches (l^-lf in. long) are well clothed with narrow spreading leaves 1^-2 in. long. The peduncles are ^ in. long, the umbels about 7-flowered, the pedicels 1 line long. The calyx-segments are f line long, the corolla-lobes 1 line by ^ line broad, the corona-scales ^ line long, a little shorter than the anthers. Near two South African species 8. orhiculare Schltr. and S. um- belluliferum Schltr., which, however, are at once distinguished by their ligulate corona-scales. Cynanchum Welwitschii, sp. nov. '' Herba glauco-viridis volubilis, late scandens, lactiflua, foliis carnosulis, mox flaccidis, supra Isete viridibus, subtus pallidus," cordatis, apiculatis, venis venulisque sparse pilosis, laminis petiola duplo superantibus ; in- florescentia corymbosa axillare, ramis florumque pedicellis sub- umbellatis; calycis segmentis ovato-lanceolatis ; ciliolatis, corollas tubo brevissimo, lobis lanceolatis superne falcatis obtusis, e Wel- witsch sordide violaceis ; corona basi tubuliforme in caudas 5 subulatas flexuosas utrinque crenula parva suffultas elongata ; antheris breviter sagittatis, appendice rotunda terminatis ; polliniis oblongis, caudiculis brevissimis ; stigmate subrotundo ; folliculis solitariis, conico-pyramidatis, angulo 1 obtusissimo, binis acutis ; seminibus brunneis late ovalibus, complanatis, alatis. Hab. Golungo Alto. '♦ Ad dumeta in Sobato de Mussengue, ast non f requens ; socialiscum Tragia. Ad fin. Novbr. 1855," Welwitsch, no. 4222 & no. 4200. Kampala, Jan. 1894, G. F. Scott Elliot, no. 7294. The slender striate stem bears a sparse pale ferruginous pubes- cence. The leaf-blades are l|-3i in. long by 1-2^ in. broad, the petioles 1-1-| in. The peduncle of inflorescence is from 1 to 2 in. long, the puberulous pedicels about 1 in. The calyx-segments are 1^ lines long, the corolla-lobes 3| by 1^ lines, the corona-tube 1^ lines, the long tails 1^ lines ; on each side of the latter is a minute crenation. The short broad filaments are attached at the base to the corona-tube ; the whole stamen is 1 line long. The narrow fruit is a little over 3 in. long, less than | in. broad. The flattened seed is 2^ lines long by If broad, and crowned with a white silky tuft of hairs f in. long. This plant was included in the list of Mr. Scott Elliot's African Asclepiads (see Journ. Bot. 1895, 337) as C. mossambicense K. Sch.? After seeing Schumann's type at Berlin, Mr. Schlechter is con- vinced that we are dealing with a different species. The nearest ally of C Welwitschii is C. Holstii K. Sch., from which, however, it differs in its corona, its falcate petals, and broader sepals, as well as in leaf-characters. ^ %