Page:Journal of botany, British and foreign, Volume 34 (1896).djvu/148

 128 NEW AFRICAN PLANTS. Cycnium erectum, sp. nov. Caule lignoso erecto alto tereti hispido superne hispidulo et parce ramoso, ramis b: evibus ; foliis sessilibus lanceolatis vel e basi cuneatis siiboblongis, uninerviis, marline supra basin integram crenato-dentatis, utraque facie hispidis ; floribus in parte caulis superiore racemosis, oppositis, bracteis foliis similibus sed minoribus pedicellos tenues subaequanti- bns ; bracteolis lineari-lanceolatis sub calyce insertis velut buic et pedicpllis hirsutulis ; calyce tubuloso supra medium obliquo apice fequaliter 5-dpntato ; corollae atrate purpurese tubo calycem duplo superante, labio postico vix ad medium bifido, antico tripartito, lobis late ovatis; antheris sublanceolatis, appendice tenui acuta; capsulis obloDgis, apiculatis. Hab. Sheik-husin, Sept. 21st, 1894, Donaldson Smith. The long stem, which is broken off at the base, is 3^^ ft. long, and 2^ lines thick. The cortex and outer layers of the wood are tinged with purple. The upper portion bears a few short branches (about 6 in. long). The shortly hispid leaves reach on the main stem 2 in. in length, with a breadth of 10 lines. The raceme is 1 ft. long. The flower-pedicels are ^ in. long, becoming f in. in the fruit. The bracteoles are nearly 2 lines long. The calyx-tube is 7 lines, and its acuminate teeth 1 line long ; a lateral incision to just above the middle makes it oblique. The calyx shows the same deep blue colour as the corolla, the tube of which is 1^ in. Ion?, less than 1 line in diameter in the lower half, but widening to about 1^ lines at the insertion of the stamens. The delicately veined lobes are 8 lines long by 6 broad. The pointed anthers are nearly 2^ lines Ions:. The unripe fruits (J in. long) retain as a blunt apiculus the base of the style. Recalls the South African C. racemmum, Bth., but is not so much branched. It is at once distinguished by the greater length of the corolla-tube in proportion to the calyx, and by the rounded teeth of the leaf-margin. Graderia speciosa, sp. nov. Frutex ramis griseis tetraq^onis juvenilibus hirsntulis; foliis parvis decussatis obovatis utrinque scabridis subsessilibus ; floribus speciosis axillaribus breviter pedi- cellatis, bracteis binis linearibus acutis; calyce hirsutulo campanu- lato aequaliter 5-fido, limbis ovatis acutis : corolla speciosa super tubum breve subito expansa, lobis planis suboblongis,pr8eter anticum, qui minor est subaequalibus ; staminibus glabris securiformibus ; 2 posticis longioribus cum anthera 1-loculare trapezoidea basifixa, anticis cum anthera altera ad calcar Ion gum reducta : stylo longo in stigmate subclavato terminante ; ovarii loculis sequalibus ; capsulo oblongo obtuse apiculato. Hab. Galla Country. Darar and Sheik-husin, Sept. 1894, Donaldson Smith. The hard woody shoots bear numerous lenticels. There are several buds, generally three, in a vertical row above each leaf-scar, all of which may remain dormant, or one (the median), rarely two, may develop. The small leaves are found in the youngest shoots only; they are 7-12 lines long, 4-5 broad. The flowers spring a little distance above the leaf-insertion ; the short pedicels are J in.