Plants -- South Africa -- Periodicals; Plants -- South Africa -- Pictorial works -- Periodicals
Undoubtedly there is a great similarity in the flowers of many groups of
this genus that differ widely in their vegetative characteristics; yet
when investigated differences in floral structure may often be found
also, which, taken in conjunction with vegetative characters, are quite
as great and as distinctive as those which separate genera in many other
families of plants. This is the case with the plant at present under
consideration, for I find that it has a combination of three floral
characters, which, so far as known to me do not all occur together in
any species of _Mesembryanthemum_, namely: (1) the calyx is produced
into a distinct green tube above the ovary; (2) the stamens are all
abruptly bent down into the calyx-tube; and (3) the stigma is sessile,
undivided, and inconspicuous. Upon this combination of characters in
conjunction with its vegetative character, I establish a new genus, and
have much pleasure in naming it after its discoverer, Mrs. E. Rood, of
Van Rhynsdorp, who sent living plants of it to Dr. I. B. Pole Evans at
Pretoria, where it flowered. The accompanying figure of it was sent to
me by Dr. Pole Evans, together with a living plant and a flower in
fluid, with some notes by Dr. E. P. Phillips, from which the description
has been prepared.
DESCRIPTION:--A dwarf succulent plant branching at or below ground level
and forming clumps about 8-11 cm. high. _Leaves_ 2 to each growth, or 4
when the new growth is made, 8-11 cm. long, 10-15 mm. thick, erect,
nearly cylindric or finger-like, but with the inner face flattened,
united at the base, obtuse at the apex, glabrous and smooth, green
below, purplish at the apical part. _Peduncle_ erect, 3-6 cm. long, and
4-5 mm. thick at the apex, with a pair of bracts about 2 cm. long below
the middle. _Calyx_ 6-lobed, tube (including the ovary) 10 mm. long,
produced about 7 mm. above the ovary, about 10-11 mm. in diameter,
slightly constricted under the lobes, glabrous, green; lobes unequal,
5-8 mm. long, 5-7 mm. broad, ovate, subacute or obtuse, four of them
with membranous margins. _Corolla_ about 4 cm. in diameter, petals
numerous, in about 4 series, loosely recurved, spreading over one
another, the outer about 15 mm. long and 1 mm. broad, the others
gradually shorter, all linear, obtuse or notched at the apex, bright
magenta. _Stamens_ very numerous, all abruptly bent into and closely
pressed against the calyx-tube in a dense mass, leaving a clear central
opening to the stigma, the outermost series being the shortest.
_Stigma_ sessile, sunk in a slight pit and level with the concave top of
the ovary, entire, inconspicuous.
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