Page:Journal of botany, British and foreign, Volume 34 (1896).djvu/37

 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FLORA OF SOUTH AFRICA. 21 the back of the vexillum and the upper part of the carina reddish-purple. Aspalathus desert orum, n. sp. (§ Terminales). — Fruticulus humilis ramosissimus ; rami divaricati rigidi pubescenti-hirti ; folia e pulvinulis breviter spiniferis fasciculata subteretia incurva pubescentia demum glabrescentia, 2-3 mill, longa ; floras terminales mediocres, 1 cm. longi, 2-3 ad apices ramulorum, pedunculis 2-3 mill, longis ; bracteae 2-lineares sub calyce approximates ; calyx turbinatus fusco-tomentosus, laciniis subulatis glabrescentibus tubo brevioribus ; vexillum suborbiculare dorso fusco-sericeum, alse ob- longaB vexillo breviores, carina incurva subfalcata vexillo tequilonga; ovarium oblique ovato-lanceolatum, pilis rectis sericeis vestitum, 6-ovulatum. Hab : Cape Colony, in dry karroid places at Hottentot's Kloof, between Ceres and Karoo Poort, alt. about 600 meters, fl. Oct., Bolus (No. 2608). A stunted scrubby bush with a general ashy hue. The flowers are somewhat like those of A. laricifolia or A. canescens the tube of the calyx about 1 times the length of the segments ; most dis- tinct in the section by its 6-ovuled ovary. Aspalathus Simii, n. sp. (§ Terminales?). — Fruticulus erectus ramosus pedalis vel ultra ; rami adscendentes cano-tomentosi ; folia e pulvinulis prominulis tomentosis fasciculata lineari-teretia mucronata subpungentia pubescentia, demum glabrescentia, patentia, ad 4 mill, longa ; flores terminales 3-5, saBpius 3, vel rarius sub- racemosi, circa 6 mill, longi, pedicellis cano-pubescentibus 2 mill, longis; calyx campanulatus pubescens, 3-5 mill, longus, lobis subulatis tubo 2-3-plo brevioribus, sinubus latis rotundatis ; vex- illum ovatum subacutum, basi intus minute sericeum, alae oblongse vexillo breviores, carina obtusa leviter incurva, vexillo subasqui- longo ; ovarium lanceolato-subulatum, basi sericeum, 2-ovulatum. Hab : South-eastern Region ; Cape Colony : Mount Coke, Kaf- fraria, alt. 600 meters, fl. Nov., T. H. Sim (No. 1428). This has the appearance and habit of A. costulata Benth., § Pingiies. But the yellow flowers, which are numerous at the end of short lateral branchlets, are much smaller, and the tips of the alae appear to be spreading, and of a paler colour than the rest of the flower. It seems a doubtful member of the section Terminales, but I do not know where else to place it. Aspalathus latifolia, n. sp. (§ Pedunculares). — Fruticulus diffusus ramosus, 3-4 -pedalis, inter frutices suffultus, totus, corollis exceptis, pilis longis moUibus vestitus ; rami divaricati foUosi ; folia 3na verticillata lanceolata vel ovato-lanceolata, longe acumi- nata, calloso-ciliata 3-5-nerva glanduloso-vittata undulata tortaque, 1-2 cm. longa, 3-7 mill, lata ; flores laterales in pedunculis gra- cihbus 1-floris, 1-3 cm. longis, foliis saepius l|^-2-plo longioribus, bracteis sub flore appro ximatis foliaceis linearibus acuminatis 10-12 mill, longis ; calycis tubus obconicus, 3 mill, longus, segmentis linearibus acuminatissimis falcato-incurvis tubo 3-4 plo longioribus ; vexillum suborbiculare dorso dense albo-sericeum, circa 1*3 cm.