Page:Journal of botany, British and foreign, Volume 34 (1896).djvu/33

 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FLORA OF SOUTH AFRICA* 17 From the description, this seems to come near to H. divaricata^ Herb. Banks, which I have never seen, and which was founded on a plant of Masson's, collected about 1775, but without pods. Xylosma Flanagani, n. sp. — Arbuscula glabra inermis, ramulis dense foliatis ; folia imbricantia, brevissime petiolata lanceolata subacuta, basi subcuneata, serrulata coriacea, utrinque reticulato-venosa, supra laevia quasi vernicata, 2-2*5 cm. longa, 6-12 mill, lata; flores hermaphroditi, vel interdum polygami, in axillis solitarii vel rarius fasciculati, brevissime pedicellati; sepala 5, abbreviata rotundata ciliata; stamina 10-20, annulo glanduloso cincta ; ovarium cylindricum 2-ovulatum, stylo cylin- drico valido subaequilongo, stigmate obscure 2-3-lobato ; bacca ovalis, cum pedicello accreto et stylo persistente (an matura?) 1*2 cm. longa. Hab : Cape Colony, South-eastern Eegion, near Komgha, in woods, alt. about 600 meters, fl. March, H. G. Flanagan (No. 682). Very different-looking from X. monospora Harv., hitherto our only known species, by its much smaller leaves and its apparently constantly biovulate ovary. Muraltia Flanagani, n. sp. — Fruticulus ramosus glaber ; rami divaricati, 10-20 cm. longi, inferne pulvinulis foliorum delap- sorum vestiti, ultimi foliosi subangulati, minute verrucosuli ; folia e pulvinula persistente brevissime petiolata oblonga obtusa, subtus 1-nerva, rigida, marginibus scabridis saepius reflexis, adscendentia vel squarrosa, 3-5 mill, longa ; flores pedicellati, pedicellis 2 mill, longis; sepala elliptica vel oblonga, lateralibus multo majoribus scariosis obtusissimis, 3 mill, longis ; petala oblonga obtusissima unguiculata, carina 5 mill, longa paullo breviora; ovarium glabrum muticum. Hab : Orange Free State, summit of the " Mont aux Sources," alt. about 2950 meters, fl. Dec-Jan., H. G. Flanagan (No. 2020). Flowers pink. Allied to M. crassifolia, Harv., from which it differs by its oblong blunter and thinner leaves, and its shorter broader and blunter petals ; also to M. rigida^ E. Mey., from which it is distinguished by the cushions below the leaves, and by its shorter very obtuse and broader petals ; the leaves much resemble those of the latter species. Melianthus villosus, n. sp. — Suffrutex robustus erectus ramosus undique plus minus villosus, pilis aliis rectis stellatim fasciculatis aliis mollibus laxe curyis saepe intermixtis vestitus ; stipuliE liberae lanceolatae acuminatae, 1*6 cm. longae ; folia breviter petiolata, 20-27 cm. longa, rachide sursum alata, foliolis 4-8 ovato- lanceolatis acutis, grosse dentatis, subtus villosis superne pilis stelloideis tenuiter vestitis, 5-10 cm. longis, 2-4 cm. latis ; racemi terminales stricti erecti multiflori, 30-40 cm. longi, pedunculo valido purpureo ; flores sparsi vel subverticillati, pedicellis gracili- bus 1-7 cm. longis, bracteis lanceolatis acuminatis subsequilongis ; calycis segmenta posteriora elliptica, 2*6 cm. longa, lateralia lineari- falcata, anticum e basi lata gibbosa subito angustatum subulatum 1-5 cm. longum ; petala 4, linearia decurva purpurea dorso villosa, Journal of Botany. — Vol. 84» [Jan. 1896.] o