Page:Journal of botany, British and foreign, Volume 34 (1896).djvu/76

 56 NEV7 AFlilCAN PLANTS. iii. 202.) Perianthium inferum duplici serie 3-merum ; series ex- terna calycina, interna petalina. Sepala libera, membranacea, imbricata ; petala majora, distiucta sequalia vel subaequalia sub- ovalia, tenera, venulosa, marcescentia. Stamina 6, liypogyna ; seriei extern® fertilia aequalia, internee parva et ad staminodia reducta. Antlierse fertiles oblongae, dorsifixae, introrsum dehis- centes ; filamenta glabra ; pollen rotundum breviter echinulatum. Ovarium superum, sessile, columnare, trilobum, triloculare ; stylus columnaris, stigmate capitate vix latiore. Ovula in loculis numerosa iiniseriata auatropa. Kiiizoma breve crassiusculum, cum fibris radi- calibus. Folia radicalia, scapum vaginantia, late-lanceolata multi- nervia. Flores umbellatae, pedicellatae. (Species 1. Africae tropicalis orientalis incola. G. SEPALOSA species unica. Aneilema sepalosum C. B. Clarke, /. c. Hab. El Modu, 70 miles west of Ganana, Somaliland, Dr. Donaldson Smith, March 13th, 1895. Also Kitui, in Ukamba, Hildebrandt 2640; east of Lake Nyassa, Bishop Steere; Limba Valley, S.E. Tropical Africa, Lieut. Smith: in Herb. Kew. The whole plant is 4 in. high, borne on a short irregular woody rhizome ; the few lowermost leaves form tubular membranous brown sheaths, surrounding the green foliage leaves, which have a blunt longitudinally veined (with 10-12 more prominent nerves) blade folded at the midrib from a short tubular amplexicaul sheath. The largest is 3| in. long by nearly 1 in. broad. The uppermost forms a narrow-lanceolate acuminate bract (2 in. long by 4 lines broad) sheathing the flattened scape, which terminates in an umbel of about seven flowers. The pedicels elongate and reach 1^ in. when the flowers open, being sheathed below by the acuminate bracteole (1 in. long by 2 lines broad). The flower-buds are acuminate. The sepals are obviously not at the same level ; the longitudinal nerves do not pass into the delicate hyaline margin, which becomes much broader below the apex; the green colour is tinged with red; they are 7 lines long by nearly 3 lines broad. The delicate finely nerved petals have become withered and twisted up in the centre of the flower, and it was impossible to restore them completely to their original size and shape ; they were evidently more or less oval, with a rounded end, and nearly f in. long by ^ in. broad. The flat ribbon-like filament is 2 lines long; the oblong anthers become slightly narrower towards the top, and are 2^ lines long. The staminodes vary slightly in length (about 1 line) ; the cordate head is about |- line. The slender ovary and style are each about 2^ lines long. The three carpels are equal. The appearance of a transverse section of the ovary indicates that dehiscence of the fruit will be loculicidal. The ovules are small and much disorganized ; only in one or two cases was it possible to make out their arrangement. i have ventured to separate this plant from Aneilema, as it differs in its general appearance, umbellate inflorescence, acuminate flower* buds, large sepals, large and equal fertile anthers, and apparently also in its round echinulate pollen; the pollen in every species