MIMETES PALUSTRIS.

Cape Province.

Proteaceae. Tribe Proteeae.

Mimetes, Salisb.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. iii. p. 171.

Mimetes palustris, Knight, Prot. p. 66, excl. syn. Boerh.; Fl. Cap. vol. v. sect. 1, p. 649.

We have much pleasure in figuring this species, one of the many botanical rarities which have recently been brought to the notice of South African botanists by Mr. T. P. Stokoe.

Mr. Stokoe collected the specimens in August, 1920, between Hermanus and Stanford in the Caledon District. They were growing on damp slopes of shallow soil overlaying quartzite, with a southern aspect. In the locality the plant is extremely rare.

As far as we are aware this is the first record of the species since it was collected by Niven.

The common species of Mimetes (M. lyrigera, Knight) is known as the “Rooi Stompie,” and as the above species is confined to damp habitats we propose the name “Water Stompie” for it.

Description:—A small shrub about 24 cm. high. Branches pilose. Leaves more or less imbricated, 1·7-2·5 cm. long, 7-9 mm. broad, the leaves subtending the flowers broader, elliptic-lanceolate, sub-acute, villous, ciliate with long hairs on the margins. Heads longer than the leaves, 3-5 flowered. Outer involucral bracts about 2·2 cm. long, ovate-lanceolate, acute, villous. Perianth hairy; the limb densely setose. Style with a dilated ring at the base of the stigma, glabrous.