The flowering plants of South Africa; vol. 3Pole Evans, I. B. (Illtyd Buller)
Science
The flowering plants of South Africa; vol. 3
Pole Evans, I. B. (Illtyd Buller)
Plants -- South Africa -- Periodicals; Plants -- South Africa -- Pictorial works -- Periodicals
In an earlier part, on Plate 64, we figured a Transvaal plant, _Gazania
pygmaea_, and stated it to be one of the first species to flower on
burnt veld. The plant illustrated here is usually contemporary with the
above, and before any of the other veld plants show signs of growth
numerous inflorescences of _Gerbera plantaginea_ may be seen pushing
through the hard surface of the soil. The underground rootstock is well
adapted to withstand the long, dry winter months, and can store up
sufficient moisture to commence growth before the first summer rains
begin. The plant is usually found growing in small colonies, and the
colour of the ray-florets varies from pure white to yellow and through
various shades of pink to red. Like _Gazania pygmaea_, this species was
found by Burke and Zeyher on the Magaliesberg about the year 1841, and
Harvey, in the “Flora Capensis,” based his description on their
specimen. We are indebted to Mr. D. Fouche for the specimens which were
collected near Meintjes Kopje, Pretoria. They are preserved in the
National Herbarium, Pretoria (Herb. No. 2580).
DESCRIPTION:--An acaulescent plant with an underground rhizome with a
woolly crown and thick cylindric roots. _Leaves_ 4·5-13cm. long,
0·8-2·2cm. broad, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, subacute, narrowed
into a petiole at the base, with the midrib and lateral veins distinct
beneath, and with entire or sub-denticulate margins, pilose above and
beneath. _Peduncle_ 11-27cm. long, naked, densely tomentose, at length
becoming sparsely tomentose. _Heads_ solitary, 3-4cm. in diameter.
_Involucral-bracts_ in 3 rows, all tomentose; the outer 7 mm. long, 1·5
mm. broad at the base, tapering to an acute point; the inner 1 cm. long,
2 mm. broad, lanceolate, acuminate, acute. _Receptacle_ slightly convex,
honeycombed. _Ray-flowers_ in two rows; the outer with a strap-shaped
limb 1 cm. long, 2·5 mm. broad, about 6-nerved, minutely 2-3-toothed at
the apex and with the lower lip represented by 4 linear appendages 1·5-2
mm. long, the two outer narrower than the two inner. _Pappus_ 6 mm.
long, longer than the tube. _Ovary_ 3 mm. long, oblong, pilose; style 8
mm. long, cylindric; lobes 0·5 mm. long, glandular (lobes sometimes
three); inner ray-flowers similar to the outer but limb 4·5 mm. long,
0·75 mm. broad. _Disc-flowers_ hermaphrodite. _Corolla-tube_ 4·5 mm.
long, cylindric; lobes 3 mm. long, 0·5 mm. broad, linear, obtuse.
_Anthers_ 5 mm. long, linear, obtuse, long-tailed at the base. _Pappus_
6 mm. long. _Ovary_ 3 mm. long, terete, almost glabrous; style 6 mm.
long, cylindric; lobes 0·5 mm. long, ovate, obtuse.
PLATE 85.--Fig. 1, longitudinal section through head showing the
convex receptacle; Fig. 2, a ray-floret; Fig. 3, a disc-floret;
Fig. 4, upper portion of corolla of disc-floret; Fig. 5, apices of
lips of disc-floret; Fig. 6, stamens; Fig. 7, upper portion of
style of disc-floret showing the two lobes.
F.P.S.A., 1923.
[Illustration: _86._]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account