Plants -- South Africa -- Periodicals; Plants -- South Africa -- Pictorial works -- Periodicals
The Genus _Harveya_ contains 27 species, all of which are parasitic on
the roots of other plants. In South Africa 21 species are recorded, the
remainder being found in Tropical Africa and the Mascarene Islands. The
name was given by Sir William Hooker in commemoration of Dr. Harvey, who
was one of the pioneers of South African systematic botany. The plant
belongs to a group known as total parasites, _i.e._ it is wholly
dependent on its host for its food supply. Specialised roots technically
known as “haustoria” penetrate the roots of the host plant and absorb
the requisite food material.
The species here figured occurs in the Cape Peninsula, all along the
western coastal districts to Clanwilliam and Van Rhynsdorp and into
Little Namaqualand. It has also been recorded from the sand-dunes near
Durban in Natal. The specimens from which our plate was prepared were
collected by Mrs. E. Rood at Van Rhynsdorp, and are preserved in the
National Herbarium, Pretoria (Herb. No. 1456).
DESCRIPTION:--A herbaceous plant about 13 cm. high. _Scale leaves_ 8 mm.
long, 1 cm. broad, ovate, acuminate, pubescent without. _Inflorescence_
racemose, densely many-flowered, 2·5 cm. in diameter, more or less
cylindric; axis 1 cm. in diameter near base, narrowing upwards. _Bracts_
1-2 cm. long, ·5-·9 cm. broad, oblong or obovate-spathulate, obtuse,
glandular pilose without; bracteoles 2, opposite at base of the calyx, 3
cm. long, 1·5 mm. broad, linear, glandular-pilose. _Pedicels_ 1 cm.
long, fleshy. _Calyx-tube_ 2·5 cm. long, 7 mm. in diameter, tubular,
glandular-pilose without, glabrous within; lobes 1·5-1·7 cm. long, 3
mm. broad at the base, gradually tapering from a triangular base.
_Corolla-tube_ 3 cm. long, 4 mm. in diameter, tubular, glandular-pilose
without and also within about the middle; lobes 4 mm. long, 5 mm. broad,
semiorbicular, rounded above, somewhat concave, glandular-pubescent
without. _Stamens_ attached to the middle of the corolla tube; filaments
of 2 different lengths; the longer 1·6 cm. long; the shorter 1·3 cm.
long; all sparsely covered with glandular hairs; anthers with one
fertile lobe and one unfertile lobe. _Ovary_ 5 mm. long, 4 mm. in
diameter; style 2·5 cm. long, terete, sparsely covered with a few
glandular hairs; stigma clavate, faintly 2-lobed.
* * * * *
PLATE 67.--Fig. 1, showing haustoria attached to portion of host;
Fig. 2, single flowers showing bract and bracteoles; Fig. 3, bract;
Fig. 4, bracteole; Fig. 5, calyx laid open; Fig. 6, corolla; Fig.
7, corolla laid open; Fig. 8, stigma; Figs. 9, 10, portion of
filaments with anther; Fig. 11, style and ovary.
F.P.S.A., 1922.
[Illustration: _68._
K. A. Lansdell del.]
PLATE 68.
GLADIOLUS PRITZELII.
_Cape Province._
* * * * *
IRIDEAE. Tribe IXIEAE.
GLADIOLUS, _Linn._; _Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant._ vol. iii. p. 709.
* * * * *
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