ADENIUM MULTIFLORUM.

Transvaal, Zululand, Portuguese East Africa.

Apocynaceae. Tribe Echitideae.

Adenium, R. & S.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. 2, p. 722.

Adenium multiflorum, Klotzch in Peters, Reise Mossamb. Bot. p. 279, t. xliv., Fl. Cap. vol. 4, sect. 1, p. 514.

The specimen from which our illustration was made is growing in the Gardens of the Division of Botany, Pretoria, and was presented by Mr. A. E. Antrobus, Cloud’s End, Louis Trichard, in the Zoutpansberg District. The flowers appeared in September before the leaves, which only made their appearance the following month. The species does very well on a rockery, and when it flowers is a very pleasing sight.

Description:—A plant with a very large tuber just below the ground-level and from which the branches spring. Branches more or less succulent, glabrous. Leaves appearing after the flowers, sub-sessile, 3·5-9 cm. long, 1·5-6·5 cm. broad, obovate, obtuse, narrowed to the base, dark green and very shiny above, pale green and dull beneath, with the mid-rib and lateral veins distinct above, the mid-rib alone prominent beneath. Inflorescence cymose, up to 5-flowered, terminal. Sepals lanceolate, pilose. Corolla-tube about 3 cm. long, 1·2 cm. broad above, tubular below, pilose without and within on the broadened portion; lobes, 1·7-2·5 cm. long, about 1 cm. broad, elliptic-oblong, or obovate, shortly acuminate, acute, with crinkled edges, usually sparsely pubescent on the upper portion, pink, with dark red margins. Anthers densely villous.