Page:Journal of botany, British and foreign, Volume 34 (1896).djvu/442

 410 DR. DONALDSON SMITH's ACANTHACE^. rotundis, mediano duple latiore; antherarum parte inferiore cal- carato emarginato. Hab. West of River Shebele, Dec. 3rd, 1894. A small low-growing shrub about 12 cm. above ground. The strong rootstock breaks up into stout branches, which from a little above the base bear opposite branches, these again branching. The older internodes are divided by narrow longitudinal furrows into white linear strips. Petioles about 1-2 mm. long ; leaves 8-15 mm. long by 5-8 mm. broad. Flowers 2-3 together, forming a reduced inflorescence in the leaf-axils. Bracteoles 1 mm. long. Calyx-segments 5-5-5 mm. long by 5 mm. broad at the base. Corolla slightly pubescent on the outside ; tube 3 mm. long, 2*3 mm. broad, 1'5 mm. at the mouth; anterior lip 5 by 4 mm. ; posterior 6 mm. long, centre lobe 3 by 3 mm., lateral lobes 3 by 1-5 mm. Filaments 3 mm. long, anthers 1 mm. ; spur -5 mm. broad. Ovary oblong, pointed, 2 mm. long, girt by an annular disc '4 mm. high ; style slender, 5 mm. long, apex notched. Justicia (§ Rostellaria) aridicola, sp. nov. Suffrutex omnino, ramorum basibus exceptis, cum setulis albidis oppressis induta ; foUis parvis ovatis obtusis breviter petiolatis ; spicis terminalibus sub-brevibus; bracteis oblanceolatis, inferioribus foliaceis, bracteolis angustissime spathulatis ; calycis segmentis subsequalibus sub- ulatis, in parte inferiore cum glandulis capitatis indutis ; corollse tubo ad medium constricto, ore subampliato, labio superiore ovato apice rotundo, inferiore trilobate, lobo medio laterales parvo excedente, disco in cristis geminis convexis elevato ; staminum filamentis medio curvatis, antherse inferioris calcare curvulo acuto loculum aequante ; capsula glabra subclavata. Hab. Darar, Sept. 12th, 1894. A low erect shrub with spreading ascending branches, scarcely 3 dm. high, the stem terete, 3 mm. in diameter at the base, the branches tapering to about 1 mm. in the upper internodes. Like the leaves, bracts, and bracteoles, the younger parts of the branches are densely covered with the short stiff pointed generally upwardly directed hairs. The slender leaf-stalks are about 3 mm. long, the leaves 2-2-5 cm. long by 8-10 mm. broad. The bracts in the lower part of the spike reach 12-15 cm. long by 4 broad, the bracteoles are 5-8 mm. by scarcely 1 mm. The sepals are 6-6*5 mm. long, increasing in the fruiting stage, the short calyx- cup, and the lower part of the segments bear on the outside short capitate glandular hairs ; the upper part of the segments is densely covered with the characteristic setulaB. The corolla-tube is 6 mm. long, 1-5 mm. in diameter at the base, 2 mm. at the waist, widening gradually to 3 mm. at the mouth. The upper lip is 6mm. long, 5 mm. broad at its base; the lower is 7*5 mm. long by 6 mm. broad just below the rounded lobes, of which the slightly larger median is 1*5 mm. long by scarcely 2.5 mm. broad ; the top is flat in the upper part, but the disc is raised into a pair of median convex crests. In the dried plant the stamens hang out one each side of the flower. The filament is 5 mm. long, the anther and the sharply pointed curving spur of the lower cell are each about