cocsesaasanttiatt Nad sigh Id bad ad aT ss iad se anaaaa en ~~ RHPORT | FOR THE YEAR 1897, BY J. MEDLEY WOOD, A.L.S., Corresponding Member of the Pharmaceutical Soctety of Great Britain. CURATOR OF BOTANIC GARDENS, DURBAN. lle Dkk dha Ah hak hh LL hah hh hah hh had hhh ehhh hahahahaha DURBAN : Bennett & Dayis,, Printers, 345, West STREET. 1898. Aare H BS. ms eee : : Monial Herbarium. ene scwes ast lat hgh bhgh sigs afl ah! lal hs ted cae aes ' ; He REPORT. om BY Ae J. MEDLEY WOOD, A.L.S., ele ty. or responding Member of the Pharmaceutical Socrety of Great Britatn. - CURATOR OF BOTANIC GAKDENS, e. DURBAN. ee Iw IIE IRE SIME ADE ORANGE CATR EADADLIAVUIIDP IE DPM en is < ‘ DURBAN : By Bennett & Davis, Printers, 345, West STREET. % 1897. ’ 6 ~ a ‘ ca ¥ ¢ Digitized by the Internet Archive — in 2012 with funding from Field Museum of Natural ig ry Library €- tip://archive.org/details/reportforyear1897colo Qelenial Herbarium. PATIO REPORT SHOR THE YEAR; 1897. Pad HE specimens in the Herbarium have been increased from 18,088 to 19,919 of which 7,606 are South African species, and 12,313 from foreign countries. ‘The increase to the South African collection consists chiefly of specimens collected by myself, together with a few from Mr. R. Schlech- ter, and Mr. H. Bolus, F.U.S. The contributors during the year are as follows :— G. V. Aznavour, Constantinople... tee 330 Prof. J. Wagner, Hungary ... ibe Ma 122 Dr. Palacky, Prague ... dae fe He 477 F. Reisen, Luxemburg... ae vit ce 344 Dr. De Degen, Budapest ae See es 176 Prof. Lyons, Honolulu.. ie wee oa) ee Oe H. Bolus, F.L.8., Cape ‘Town ar a 62 N. Holtze, Port Darwin ae ape ae 78 M. Hysn, Hungary .. as ae oon 115 J. Fowler, Ontario, Canada ... bat ses 390 M. Buysman, Holland. ee eee ae 5) Prof. Gibelli, Italy sake Kg ane bee 143 _———_ Total 2,326 A large number of these specimens are not yet mounted, as time could not be spared for the purpose, and they are not therefore included in the total given above. Amongst these specimens are many which are new to our Herbarium, and of considerable value to the collection, but as always must happen, especially when specimens are received from. different collectors in the same country, there are a large number of duplicates, the best of which are selected, and the remainder, containing many really good specimens, are available for exchange with other institutions. 4 The specimens received from M. Buysman are intended merely as samples of plants prepared for the use of Colleges, Schools, etc , and are very complete, each one including sections of fruits, flowers, etc., in a specially made flat glass bottle filled with spirit; they can be examined with the aid of a lens, or removed from the bottle for microscopical examination. Named specimens of our Natal Flora have beer sent to the following persons :— Royal Botanic Gardens, Calcutta 128 specimens. British Museum, analon . 158 = Rev. J. Fowler, M.A. , Ontario, Canada 422 . Dr. J. Palacky, Prague es ; 275 ne F. Reisen, Luxembourg ... -... 153 ‘ Drv’: Degen, Hungary .. 213 a N. Holtze, Port Darwin, Nastralie 153 6 L. Cockayne ies 108 . Kh lilly & Co., U. S., America... 142 A V. Fitzgerald, Tasmania ... a 289 7. J. Wagner, Hungary .. ne 227 3 re D. Flanagan, Cape Colony Be 199 is Gibelli, Italy .. A ae 124 . The K. Miyabe, Japan he oe dd - M. Eysn, Hungary Ee bee QT Sh. nes 2,924 specimens. Almost the whole of these specimens were collected by myself, and during the year short collecting trips have been made to the following places,—Newcastle, Charlestown, Inchanga, Van Reenen, Nottingham Road, Brakwaal, and Tugela Valley near Colenso, and a large number of specimens were obtained in the vicinity of Durban, reaching to Isipingo and Umhlanga, the whole of the specimens obtained being classified, and ticketed here. I have still a large stock on hand which will be distri- buted to correspondents as opportunities occur, and for which anu adequate return may be expected. During the year 367 indigenous plants have been named for 7 correspondents, and this does not include numerous enquiries for the names of solitary specimens and also Garden plants, about which enquiries as to the names are often received, but these fall more in the work of the Botanic Garden than in that of the Colonial Herbarium, and are therefore not included in the above named number. 5 The large number of Central African plants collected by the late Mr. John Buchanan, C.M.G., and which were alluded to in my last report, are still here; they have all been poisoned, and | am pleased to say that my friend Mr. Rudolf Schlechter, who returns to (Germany early in the year, has promised to have them compared in the Herbarium at Berlin, where a good set of these plants is to be found, so that | may be able to have them included in the Herbarium before long; fortunately Mr. Buchanan sent ample material of most of them, or this could not have been done. The first part of the illustrations and descriptions of the’ indigenous plants of the Colony, which has been undertaken by Mr. M. 8. kivans and myself, is I regret to say not yet ready for issue; a long delay was caused in the early part of the year by serious illness in the family of the artist, Mr. W. J. Hay- garth, and as he has only the evenings to devote to the work, progress is necessarily very slow, but we hope to have it ready for issue during the early part of the year, and I am hoping to make such arrangements as will enable us to get on with the future parts much more expeditiously. Of the parcels of grasses sent for determination by Professor Hackel through Professor Dr. Hans Schinz, no lists have as yet: been received, and until they arrive nothing can be done with _ the specimens, but the draft dissections have been done by my Assistant Miss Lauth, so that when the list is received we may be able to figure them in a separate part if it should be thought advisable to do so. In my report for 1897 it was stated that certain plants, nine in number, all of which were thought to be new, would be in- cluded in the first part of the illustrated work above mentioned, and that specimens of these plants had been sent to Kew for comparison, the result being that two of them were found to have been already described. On further consideration it was decided not to include any of them in the work, but send them Home for publication, and afterwards to figure any that might be thought to be of sufficient interest. he first decade was published in the “‘ Journal of Botany” for September 1897, and consists of the following plants :— NEED) NN AIAG: — PLANTS. Hibiscus saxatilis. Wood & Evans. Suffruticose, erect, 1-2 feet high, sparingly branching, stem, petioles, peduncles, involucre and calyx densely stellate hirsute. Leaves varying from ovate to deeply 3-5 lobed, lobes acute, 6 serrate, ciliate, stellato-hispid on both sides, the mature ones almost glabrous, 5-9 veined at base, 1-3 inches long, 14-24 inch wide. Peduneles axillary and terminal, longer than petioles. Involucral bracts 8-10, oblong-ovate, ciliate, veiny; #-1 inch long, 2-3 lines wide, Corolla twice as long as the involucel. Ovary densely hirsute. Seeds silky. Flowers white, with dark centre. Habitat, Natal. On a rocky hill, summit of Van Reenen’s Pass, Drakensberg Mountains. Alt. 5-6,000 feet. December, J. Medley Wood, No. 5,961. Rhus rupicola, Wood & Evans. An erect much branched shrub. Branches and twigs hirsuto- pilose. Leaves trifololate, pitiolate, common petiole 2-5 lines long, leaflets obovate, sessile, narrowed to base, mucronate, sub- coriaceous, veiny, entire, margin revolute, lighter coloured and — shining beneath, finely pubescent on the veins; terminal 3-6 lines long, 2-3 lines wide, lateral similar, but much smaller. Panicles axillary and terminal, much longer than the leaves, 1-2 inches long, rachis and peduncles minutely pubescent. Pedicels a little longer than the flowers. Flowers small, yellow. Drupe globose, 1-2 lines in diameter, glabrons. Habitat. Natal. Amongst rocks below waterfall, Liddesdale, near Howick. J. Medley Wood. No. 3,932. Amongst South African species this comes nearest to R. mucronata, but differs from it by indument of branches, shape and size of leaves, and petioles, length of panicles, colour of flower, and apparently also in size of drupe ; we have no speci- mens of R. mucronata with which to compare it. Rhynchosia ovata, Wood & Evans. A sub-erect undershrub with densely rufo-pilose branches, Leaves long petioled, trifoliolate, leaflets, ovate, mucronulate, entire rounded at base, 3-veined, finely hispid and ciliate with long pilose white haiis, lateral ones very shortly petiolulate, ter- minal longer, mature ones 1} inches long, l inch wide. Stipules subulate, striate, 3 lines long. Racemes axillary and terminal, longer than the leaves, flowers few, distant. Bracts not seen. Legume oblong, acute, narrowed to base, 9 lines long, 3-4 lines wide. Habitat. Zululand. Near Eutumeni; J. Medley Wood, No. 3,987. April 1888. Amongst South African species this falls in the Section Copisma, and comes near to R. adenodes, from which plant it differs in size and shape of leaves (which are not resinous dotted), size of flowers, cutting of calyx, and indument, i Helichrysum infaustum, Wood & Kvans. Stems, many from a woody root, diffuse or sub-erect, simple or branching, pubescent, naked below, leafy above, 4-8 inches long. Leaves alternate, sessile, linear, obtuse, entire, cob- webby above, densely white tomentose beneath, 3-8 lines long, 1-1} line wide. Cymes on elongated peduncles, globose, crowded, 50-100 headed, 6-15 lines in diameter. Heads cylindri- cal, 4-8 flowered, 14 lines long, flowers all hermaphrodite, corolla 5 dentate. Involucre scales in many series, scarious, imbricate, yellow, outer ovate, inner ovato-lanceolate. Recoptacle flat, honey-combed. Pappus and achenes not seen. Habitat. Natal. Near Van Reenen’s Pass, Drakensberg Mts., 5-6,000 feet altitude. March; J. Medley Wood, No. 6973. Near H. hamulosum H.M., but a smaller and apparently less erect plant with much smaller cymes and heads, more woolly leaves which are not ‘“‘ hook-pointed.” Differs from H. Kraussii Sch., Bip. in having all its florets perfect, also in habit and size; and from both in indument of leaves. After examination of numerous heads, we have not been able to find any trace of pappus. Berkheya latifolia. Wood & Evans. Herbaceous, 1-2 feet high, racemoso-paniculate at apex. Lower leaves 12-14 inches long, 6-7 wide, ovato-oblong, narrowed to base, acute, petiolate; intermediate ones smaller, narrow oblong, decurrent on both sides of the stem, becoming rapidly smaller upwards, margin spinous, and with a few adpressed dark pilose hairs above, cobwebby below. Heads few (in our specimens 3.) Pedicels erect 23-4 inches long. Involucral scales 100 or more, in many series, diffuse, rigid, margin spinous, densely covered with minute stalked glands beneath. Spines 1-2 lnes long. Ray florets about 40, ¢-1 inch long, 6-8 striate, lobes bifid. Receptacle deeply honeycombed, cells lacerate at apex, teeth few often long acuminate. Achenes glabrous. Pappus scales, lacerate at apex, interior ones narrow. Flowers yellow. Habitat. Natal. On side of a grassy hill near De Beer's Pass, Drakensberg Mts., 5-6,000 feet Alt. March. J. Medley Wood. No. 5,960. Berkheya montana, Wood & Evans. Herbaceous, erect, stems striate, spinous, minutely pubescent, 3-4 feet high. Radical leaves none, stem leaves oblong, the margin a little undulate or angulate, spinoso-ciliate finely hispid above, somewhat cobwebby beneath, lower ones 6-9 inches long including the petiole, 3-4 inches wide. Petioles of lower leaves sub-amplexicaul, not decurrent, }-3 inch long gradually becoming 8 shorter afterwards, upper leaves quite sessile. Heads in loose axillary and terminal corymbs, $-lj inch diameter. Involucral scales squarrose, lanceolate, exterior ones longest; spinoso- acuminate, concrete at base, and with a few scattered marginal spines, cobwebby beneath, on both sides densely covered with minute glands, mid-vein conspicuous, lateral ones obscure above. Exterior scales 4-7 lines long, including the 1 line long spine. Receptacle deeply honeycombed, cells fringed with long acuminate bristles. Achenes glabrous striate, minutely pedicellate. Pappus cup shaped, concrete, in one series lacerate at apex. Flowers yellow. Habitat. Natal. In a shady valley near De Beer’s Pass, Drakensberg Mts., 5-6,000 feet altitude. March. J. Medley Wood, No. 6,978. Chaenostoma neglectum, Wood & Evans. An erect sparingly branched herb, having may stems from a woody root, stems densely covered with minute yellowish hairs. Leaves opposite, sessile, sub-amplexicaul, linear-oblong, obtuse, distantly and unequally toothed, midvein prominent beneath, lateral ones obscure, coriaceous, pubescent on both surfaces, especially on veins beneath ; {-17 inches long, +-4 inch wide. Flower in axillary and terminal, simple or compound racemes. Peduncles 3-2; inches long. Bract 1 at base of peduncle, subulate. Calyx gamosepalous, 5 parted, tube sub- globose, hmb 5 lobed, lobes linear, erect, slightly hispid, 2-3 lines long, 13 lume wide, Corolla salver-shaped, tube short, limb 5 toothed, lobes equal, entire, half or more as long again as calyx, pink, throat yellow, Stamens 4, in throat of corolla, in- cluded, sub-didynamous. Anthers similar, 1-celled, reniform, margin membranaceous. Ovary superior, 2-celled, ovoid, hispid. Styles filiform, hispid. Stigma obtuse. Fruit capsular. Seed numerous. Habitat. Natal. Near Charlestown, January, 5-6,000 feet altitude. J. Medley Wood, No. 5,241. De Beer’s Pass, 5—6,000 feet altitude, March, J. Medley Wood, No. 6,032. Near Harrismith, Orange Free State, 5-6,000 feet altitude, March, J. Medley Wood, No. 4,817. This plant is so very common in the localities above named, that it seems strange that it has been for so long undescribed. It appears to prefer the vicinity of cultivated ground, though often found far from it. Moraea glauca, Wood & Evans. Corm globose, {-l inch diameter, with several smallez ones clustered round it. ‘Tunics chartaceous, with prominent long:- tudinal veins, connected by very oblique transverse ones, the 9 lamina straw-colour, the veins and veinlets dull reddish-brown ; acuminate at apex, stems short. Basal leaf sometimes 6 feet long, $ inch wide at base, eee ualle tapering to apex, which is often, perhaps always, withered for one to three feet down- wards, glabrous, sub-glaucons, enclosing at base a number of small bulbils, with one or two at nodes. Spathe valves 3-5 inches long, cylindrical, 2 or more flowered, the inner one long- est, outer connate at base for more than half their length, long acuminate, green with withered tips. Perianth yellow, with a number of dark spots at base of each lobe, and a clearly defined midrib. Segments spreading, 1-1} inches long, ; inch wide, oblong, outer one mucronulate at apex, inner similar but narrower, subequal in length. Filaments connate for two- thirds of their length. Anthers sagittate, lnear-oblong, ex- trorse, connective produced beyond the cells. Pollen yellow. Style spathulate, finely ciliate at upper edge, the crests lanceo- late, the inner free edges running to base of the petaloid styles. Ovary 3-celled, obtusely 3 angled, ovules one or two seriate, superposed, numerous. Capsule not seen. Habitat. Natal. Mooi River district. J. Medley Wood, No. 4,035. This plant belongs to the sub-genus Humorea, and to the section Corymbosae, and comes near to M. iniopetala, but differs in size and coating of corms, length of spathe-valves which are withered at the tip, colour of flowers, and shape of perianth lobes. From M. mira it ditfers by length of leaf, stem and peduncle, colour of flowers, and pollen, and cutting ‘of style-crests. This is one of the plants called by the Dutch colonists “ Tulp” or “Tulip” which are so frequently fatal to cattle ; its leaves appear in the early spring when grass is not plentiful, and cattle—I believe especially those from a district where the plant is not found-—eat it with fatal results, whole spans of oxen having been killed by it. Probably several species of Moraea have the same properties, and are included in the generic name “ Tulp.” Aloe Marshalli, Wood & Evans. A stemless herb, produced leaves 20 or more, in several rows, erect, linear, much dilated at base for 1-2 inches, then gradually narrowing, upper portion narrow-linear, apex acute, the dilated portion covered with minute white spots, the linear portion 2-3 lanes wide, not channelled, midvein conspicious, margin with small spinous teeth, which are more numerous towards base and apex. Peduncles simple, 1-2 feet long, with few ovate cuspidate -scarious bracts. moe ers 15-30 racemose, internodes {-3 mch lung, lower pedicels }-$ inch long. Bracts oblong-cuspidate, a ~ 10 little longer than pedicels. Perianth cylindrical, red with green tips, lobes 3-5 nes long. Stamens and style included, equalling the perianth. Habitat. Natal. Rocky hill on the farm ‘“ Kelvin Grove” near Glencoe, 4—5,000 feet altitude. J. Medley Wood, No. 5,192. December 1896. This plant seems to fall between A. Cooperi and A. microcantha ; from the former it differs in leaves, which are not “tapering gradually to the point,” in the length of the pedicels and bracts, colour of flower, and length of perianth tube. From the latter it differs in texture and shape of leaves, number of empty bracts, looseness of racene, length of fertile bracts and perianth tube. Of the latter species, however, we have no specimen with which to compare it. It is a plant well worth cultivation, having much the appearance when in flower of the well-known Cyrtanthus angustifohus. Kniphofia multiflora. Wood & Evans. Leaves lorate, rigid, with numerous veins, margin finely and irregularly serrulate, 3-4 feet long, 3-1 inch wide. Peduncles equalling the leaves. Racemes densely flowered, 12-15 inches long, sub-spicate, with short pedicels. Bracts linear, longer than pedicels. Flowers erect, very numerous, 300-400 in a yellow raceme. Perianth subcylindrical, a ttle constricted in the middle, 5-3 inch long, 2 lines wide, segments very short, as broad as long. Stamens and style much exserted. Habitat. Natal. In aswamp, summit of Drakensberg Mts., between Van Reenen and Nelson’s Kop, 5-6,000 feet altitude. J. Medley Wood, No. 5,972. March, 1896. Differs from all the other’ Natal species of the genus known to us by its quite erect flowers, also by its long narrow many flowered raceme. The second decade was published in the “ Journal of Botany” for December last and includes the following plants :— Hypericum natalense. Wood & Kvans. Stems many from a wood root, 6-15 inches high, erect, terete. glabrous; Leaves ovate, ob-ovate or oblong, obtuse at apex, rounded at base, sub-sessile, glabrous, flat, pellucid-punctate, veiny, 8-8 lines long, 13-4 lines wide, cymes dichotomous; sepals oblong, entire, pellucid punctate, sub-mucronate, 3 lines long, petals ovato-oblong, not black spotted, longer than sepals, Styles 5, free from the base, Flowers yellow. Habitat. Natal. Near bank of Mooi River, 4-5,000 feet alt., October. J. Medley Wood, No. 4,034. II A much branched undershrub, usually growing in dense clumps from a perennial root. Only known to us from the upper districts of the colony, and having much the appearance of A. aethiopicum, Thunberg, for which species it has doubtless been mistaken, but it differs in having more numerous stems from the root, thus forming larger clumps, leaves which are sub-sessile and not amplexicaul, flat, not revolute edged, sepals which are not lanceolate, nor acute; in the absence of black dots from sepals, petals, and anthers, and by its 5 styles, and 5-celled capsule. Buchenroedera sparsiflora. Wood & Evans. A much branched undershrub, under 6 inches high ; branches divaricate, younger ones silky. Leaves clustered in the upper portion of the branches, 1} lines long, equa!ling the leaflets petiole. Leaflets cuneate, mucronulate, thickly clustered, silky. Stipules linear-oblong, acute, equalling the petiole. Flowers solitary, axillary and terminal; peduncles 1-15 lines long. Calyx 3 lines long, silky like the leaves, lobes deltoid, shorter than the tube, bracts linear, longer than the calyx. Legume pilose, twice or more longer than the calyx. Flowers dark purple. Habitat. Natal. Smmit of Bushman’s River Pass, 8-9,000 feet altitude. April. M.S. Evans, No. 716. Differs from B. tenuifolia EH. & Z. in inflorescence, and prob- ably in relative length of vexillum, also in indument. From B. trichodes it differs in indument, shape of leaflets, length of bracts, and also in inflorescence. Crotalarva dura, Wood & Evans. Herbaceous, erect, sparingly branched, pubescent. Leaves petiolate, trifoliolate, leaflets varying from ob-lanceolate to linear oblong, mucronulate, minutely and thickly punctate above, pubescent beneath, the términal one 7-9 lines long, lateral 6-7 lines long, petioles 3-6 lines lines long, petiolules 3-i line long. Stipules none. Inflorescence terminal on stems and branches: KRaceme laxly few flowered. Calyx tube turbinate, 1-13 lines long, globes subulate, longer than the tube Bracts linear, as long as pedicels. Vexillum sub-orbiculate, alae narrow oblong, carina broadly falcate. Style falcate, pubescent in upper halt. Legume obliquely oblong, or elliptical oblong, crowned with the remains of the persistent style, villous, valves hard and horny. Seeds 4? Flowers yellow. Habitat. Natal. Amongst grass on hill sides, Noodsberg. 2-3,000 feet altitude. J. Medley Wood, No. 4,134; same 12 locality, J. Medley Wood, No. 385; without locality W. T. Gerrard, No. 172 ? Amongst South African species this appears to be the nearest to C. globifera, but it differs from it im indument, shape and size of leaves, number of flowers, shape, texture and indument of legume, which is more oblique than that of C. globifera, and very much harder. © Printzia densifolia, Wood & Evans. Stem ?. Branches terete, scurfy. Leaves alternate, very. numerous in upper part of stem, ovate, acuminate at apex, rounded at base, sharply, deeply and distantly serrate, shortly petiolate, auricled at base, minutely pubescent on veins beneath 1-3 inches long, $-2 inches wide, auricles leafy, sub-rotund from a broad base, serrate like the leaves, 4-5 lines in diameter. Inflorence axillary and terminal, in short,few flowered racemes. Heads 6 lines Jong. Involucral scales imbricate in 4-5 rows, the exterior shorter; all lanceolate, fimbriate with long woolly hairs especially at apex. Rays 4-5 lines long. Pappus white. Flowers white. Habitat. Natal. Blinkwater, near York, 3-4,000 feet altitude. April, 1890. J. Medley Wood, No. 4,331. This is a species quite distinct in general appearance from any other known to us. Like P. auriculata the leaves are amply auricled, but in shape and indument are quite different. From P. pyrifolia it differs in shape and size of leaves, con- spicuous auricles, and total absence of tomentum on the under side of the leaves. Heteromma sinvplicifolia. Wood & Hvans. Stem herbaceous, striate, pilose, 2-25 feet high, 1-2 lines in diameter, branches diffuse, Leaves few, alternate, lower ones decurrent, narrow-oblong, mucronate, gradually narrowing to a winged petiole, margin sharply toothed, teeth few, distant ; 2-4 inches long including the petiole, $-{ inch wide, upper ones linear -oblong, sessile and sub-amplexicaul; all pilose, sub- scabrous, finely ciliate, and becoming smaller towards the apex of the stem and branches. Corymbs laxly paniculate, Heads 20-30 flowered. Involucral scales pilose. Achenes (immature) minutely pubescent. Flowers yellow. Habitat. Natal. Drakensberg Mountains, near Polela river, 6-7,000 feet altitude. February, 1896. M.S. Evans, No. 648. This genus, as far as known to us, consists of two species only, viz., H. decurrens which inhabits the mountainous parts of the t3 Cape Colony, and the present species, which differs in shape and cutting of leaves, looseness of corymb, and number of florets in the head. Humorphia sericea, Wood & Kvans. An erect branching shrub, 18 inches to 2 feet high, branches terete, woody, cobwebby, older ones sub-glabrous. Leaves fasciculate, fascicles opposite, each containing 5-10 linear, entire, silky leaves, 2-6 inches long, 4-5 lines wide, involucral scales in many series, imbricate, erect, silky, with broad membranous margin. Receptacle convex, paleaceous, palae membranaceous enclosing the young achenes. Rays lgulate, 3 dentate, 5-7 lines long, pinky white, disk florets tubular, 5 toothed, tube dilated in upper portion, yellow. Anthers not tailed. Style branches divergent, truncate, minutely pappillose at apex. Achenes glabrous, striate. Pappus none. Habitat. Natal. Summit of Drakensberg Mts., near Bush- man’s River Pass, 8-10,000 feet altitude. April, M. S. Evans, No. 715. A much branched undershrub, assuming a compact rounded form. Differs from EH. Dregeana D.C. the only other species of the genus, in size, shape and indument of leaves, which in this species are not nearly so closely imbricated, nor decussate ; and in its much larger flower heads, which are are always solitary. Selago monticola, Wood & Evans. Stem 2-3 feet high, woody, erect, branching above, terete, slender, pilose. Leaves sessile, varying from linear to linear- oblong, obtuse, papillose, margin finely and sharply toothed, in lower portion of the stem solitary, in upper portion fasciculate, fascicles 4-8 leaved, 2-6 hnés long, 1-2 wide. Inflorescence laxly corymbose, the divisions shortly and densely flowered at apex. Flowers minute, Bracts ovate-oblong, obtuse, concave, ciliate at apex and at base, not reaching the apex of calyx lobes. Calyx 5-fid, lobes sub-equal, shorter than tube ciliate, Corolla 5-fid, tube equalling the calyx, lobes, sub-equal, obtuse, as long as the tube. Capsule ovate, a little longer than the - calyx. Habitat. Natal. Sources of Inyasuti River, Drakensberg Mountains, 5—7,000 feet altitude. June, 1896. M.S. Evans, No. 655. Quite unlike any species represented in the Natal Govern- ment Herbarium. 14 Wahlenbergia depressa, Wood & Evans. A small plant, growing in dense tufts on moist rocks. Stems very slender, branching, sub-rigid, glabrous, 2-8 inches long. Leaves alternate, extipulate, sessile, linear, ciliate, glabrous, 2-4 lines long, 3 line wide. Inflorescence axillary and terminal, solitary, peduncles 3-1 inch long. Calyx 5 lobed, tube obconical, 1 line long, lobes subulate, ciliate, twice or thrice longer than the the tube, Corolla 5 lobed, lobes ovate, acute, spreading from throat, equalling or a dittle longer than the calyx lobes. Stamens 5, filaments subulate, anthers oblong, Styles 3-lobed, minutely pubescent in upper portion, Ovary half inferior, 3-celled, many ovuled. Capsule 3 valved, Seeds many, longitudi- nally ribbed, brown. Habitat. Natal. Near Van Reenen’s Pass, Drakensberg Mts., 5-6,000 feet alt. March J. Medley Wood, No. 5,977. A small plant growing in dense tufts, quite unlike any other species of the genus known to us. The small flowers are pale blue. Stachys rivularis, Wood & Evans. Stem erect, branching from base, piloso-hispid, 1 foot or more high. Leaves oblong-deltoid, cordate at base, obtuse at apex, lower shortly petiolate, upper sessile and smaller, margin crenate, finely ciliate, piloseon veins beneath, scabrous above, 5-10 lines long, 2-4 lines wide. Verticillasters 2-6 flowered. Calyx 5 toothed, teeth acuminate, with a few pilose hairs on the veins. Corolla twice as long as calyx. Flowers white, with pink spot on lower segment. Habitat. Natal. Sandy soil on bank of Mooi River, 4,550 feet alt. December. J. Medley Wood, No. 6,252. This species seems to be near to S. nigricans, Bth, but differs in size and shape of leaves, cutting and indument of calyx, and relative size of corolla. It also, Mr. Schlechter informs us, approaches near to 8. simplex Schlechter, a species we have not seen. Ornithogalum capillaris, Wood & Evans. Bulb ovoid, 3-65 lines in diameter, bearing two or more scapes ; tunics papery, outer ones produced 3-1? inches beyond apex of bulb. Leaves 3-6, lower portion clasping the stem. erect, capillary, glabrous, reaching to 3 inches in length, Peduncles slender, 2-25 inches long to base of lowest pedicel. Raceme 2-3 inches long, laxly 8-12 flowered, pedicels ascending, lowest ¢-l inch long. Bracts lanceolate, or subulate from a 15 broad base, lower ones two lines long. Perianth white, 13-2 lines long, segments oblong, 3 line wide, many veined, not carinate, stamens a little shorter than the perianth, filaments linear, Style slender, not longer than the ovary. Habitat. Natal. Newcastle, 3,900 feet altitude. January. J. Medley Wood, No. 6,511. Differs from O. pilosum by size of bulb, colour of tunics number of leaves, which are not ciliated; and from O inandense by indument of leaves, length of peduncle, pedicels and bracts, and colour of flowers. The third decade is now more than half completed, and will be sent Home for publication when ready, and others will I hope follow from time to time, as material is obtained. A few more plants were received for identification through His Excellency the Governor, from Zululand, consisting of species which have been used by the natives as food, and amongst those received near the close of the year 1896 was one that should have been noted in my report for that year but was accidentally omitted. It is a singular aquatic plant known as Trapa bispinosa, which bears very remarkable looking seeds. These seeds are triangular in outline and are armed at the two upper angles with two long spines, which are as long as the body of the seed, and are furnished at the outer extremity with opposite rows of retrorse spines, presumably for the purpose of taking hold of any water weeds which they may meet with as they float on the surface of the pond or river; on each face of the seed are three shorter spines, which are sometimes curved, and which no doubt assist in securing the seed to whatever it may have affixed itself. The body of the seed is very hard, and contains a large quantity of farinaceous matter, and the late Baron F. v. Mueller says of this species :— ‘Found also in Africa as far south as the Zambesi. The nuts “are often worked for starch. They can be converted into ‘most palatable cakes or porridge, and may be stored for food, ‘even for several years ; their taste is pleasant. The produce “is copious and quite maintained by spontaneous dissemination. ‘In some countries, for instance in Cashmere, the nuts ina raw ‘or cooked state form an important staple of food to the “ population. Another writer says that in Cashmere these seeds “feed 30,000 persons for 5 months of the year, and are so extensively collected that the late Runjeet Singh derived an income of £12,000 per annum from them.’ Some of these seeds were sent 16 to the Waterworks near Pinetown, and some to one or two applicants who had suitable situations in which to place them, some were put into the Mooi River near Weston and the Ingogo by myself, but I am afraid that none of them have germinated. The following haye been received as donations to the Department :— PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. NAME. FROM. Flora Capensis. Vol. 6 Director of Royal Gardens, Kew Flora of British India, Part xx11 Flora of Congo Free State by Drs. Durand & Schinz Authors Bulletin Herb. Boissier. Vol. part 12 Prof. Dr. Hans Schinz Notes from Botanical Gardens, Zurich, by .. Contributions to the National Herbarium. Vol. 5., Part 1 & 3. ; . .U. States ‘Gov. Grasses and Forage plants of the Dakotas, by T. A. Willams i ke Studies of American Grasses... $3 Crepis occidentalis and its allies, by F. C. Coville Grasses and Forage plants: ‘of the Rocky Mountains, by Rydberg & Shear Plants used by the Kalmath Indians, by F. C. Coville fe Be be bis The “Water Hyacinth,” by H. J. Webber Three new weeds of the Mustard family, by L. H. Dewey American Grasses, by Geo. Vasey, i illustrated Report of Sinithsonian Institute. 1894 ... List of Alabama Fungi, by L. M. Underwood Studies of Mexican and Central American plants, by J.N: Woser be Report of Director of Field Columbian Museum Author Flora of Yucatan. Vol. 1, Part 3 —. New species of South African Crassulas, by Dr. Schonland aS Observations on South African plants, by Dn iSchonland . 2. Flora of 8S. W. Africa, by Prof. Dr. Hans Schinz Contributions to Flora of 8. E. Africa 3 2 Geographical Studies of plants, by Dr. Palacky On the discovery of wee hiza, es W. Thiselton Dyer, F.R.S. we ah 99 17 NAME. FRoM. Description of 3 new species of Australian plants, by J. H. Maiden and H. Betche Author. Notes on plants in the vicinity of Constantinople, by G. V. Aznavour i a, Journal of Botany. Current Nos. PURCHASED. TBertnen Ey lie Flora of North America. Erythaea current Nos. Botanical Magazine. I now give a list of names of the plants which have been added to my Preliminary Catalogue during the year, and as this is the fourth supplementary lst, it is I think almost time that a revised list should be published. Unfortunately how- ever, there is within the Colony but very little demand for mere lists of plants, though many persons would like to have an illustrated work, and of course a complete Flora of the Colony, which is I fear quite impracticable for many years to come. The additions to the catalogue for this year, consists of names taken from the Flora Capensis, Vol. 6, which has been published during the year; new plants described by Mr. R. Schlechter. Mr. H. Bolus, Mr. M. 8. Evans, and myself, to- gether with a few accidental omissions discovered during the year. As before I have arranged them alphabetically for more convenient reference. Fourth addition to ‘ Preliminary Catalogue of Natal Plants.” NAME. NATURAL ORDER. Adenocline pauciflora, Turcz Huphorbiaceae. Agrostis natalensis, Stapf. rramineae. Albuca crinifolia, eaeen - Inliaceae. Aloe Marshalli, Wood & inane) e Anthericum elongatum, Willd. 4: robustum, Baker ... ot Ar gyr Cater longipes, Nake coe at Leguminosae. Athrixia asteroides, Bol. & Schl. Compositae. Avena turgidula, Stapf. Gramineae. Berkheya Hvansit, Schltr. ... als 3 latifolia, Wood & Evans montana, ,, Composttae. 99 Br achystelma pulchellum, Schltr... Asclepiadeae. Brachystelmaria Gerrardt, paolaat i nata act 5, i s Buchenroedera sparsiflora, Wood & Evans Leguminosae. 18 NAME. Buddleia Woodi, Gilg. Ceropegia ampliata, H. Mey 4, caffrorum, Schltr. 55 fimbriata, HK. Mey ... . pachystelma, Schltr. Ay setifera, Chaenostoma neglectum, Wood & Evans Chlorophytum Bowkert, Baker.. Coccinea hirtella, Cogn. Crotalaria dura, Wood & Hivans Dipcadi polyphyllum, Baker Drimia altissima, Hook , angustifolia, Baker 5, macrantha, ce Drimiopsis Saundersiae ,, e Woodti FA Hrica (Pachysa) frigida, Bolus. Pe 5 (Ceramia) trichoclada, G. & B.... Humorphia sericea, Wood e Evans Huryops Evansi, Schitr. Felicia lingulata, Klatt Gerbera tuberosa, ,, . Heteromma simplicifolia, Wood & Evans Hibiscus saxatilis, Hypericum aang Indigofera Evansii, Schltr. ... Isoglossa origanoides, (Nees) Oerst. Jatropha Zeyheri, Soud. ; Manulea rubra, L. Metalasia mur icata, Nees. Morea glauca, Wood & Evans.. Mundulea suberosa, Bth. a Nephrolepis cnaibata, Schott. ss Nerine filifolia, Baker ... Nesaea tolypobotrys, Kohne. Nidorella mespilifolia, D.C. ... Ornithogalum capillaris, Wood & Evans 99 9 9 99 ss gram inifolium inandense, as leptophyllum is lineare - oliganthum Pelargonium zonale, Ait., var.... Printzia denstfolia, Wood & Evans Ethynchosta cyanosperma, Benth NaTuRAL ORDER. Loganiaceae. Asclepiadeae, Scrophulariaceae Inliaceae. Cucurbitaceae. Leguminosae. Liliaceae. 99 Hricaceae. 99 Conuposttae. 2) 99 99 Compositae. Malvaceae. Hypericineae. Leguminosae. Acanthaceae. Huphorbiaceae. Scrophulariaceae Compositae. Irideae. Leguminosae. Filices. Amaryllideae. Lythrariae. Compositae. Inliaceae. 99 Geraniaceae. Compositae. Leguminosae. 19 NAME. NATURAL ORDER. Rhynchosia ovata, Wood & Evans : ... Leguminosae. Rhus rupicola, 3 ; . Anacardiuceae. Richardia hastata, Hook ie ae . Aroitdeae. Riocreuava Flanagant, Schltr... a .. Asclepiadeae. # polyantha, Smee ae A Satyrium erectum, Thb. ee ot .. Orchideae. Selago monticola, Wood & Evans i . Selagineae. Scilla palustris, e - wa.) Lahiaceae. » regidrfolva, Kth. var. Conan ih a, = Sisyranthus anceps, Schltr. ... ee .. Asclepiadeae. | CDOS ON ee i : Es » macer. (Harv.) Schltr.