  GERBERA JAMESONI. Transvaal. Compositae. Tribe Mutisiaceae. Gerbera, Gronov.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. ii. p. 497. Gerbera Jamesoni, Bolus; Gard. Chron., 1889, vol. 5, p. 772. fig. 122; Bot. Mag. t. 7087. This plant, the “Barberton Daisy,” has attracted much attention in recent years as an addition to the herbaceous garden. It was first discovered in the Transvaal by the collector Rehmann about 1878, and later by the Hon. R. Jameson on the mountains round Barberton. In 1889 it flowered at Kew Gardens and was illustrated in the Gardener’s Chronicle for that year. Shortly afterwards a coloured plate and description appeared in the Botanical Magazine (t. 7087). The specific name was proposed by the late Dr. Bolus, who himself collected the species at Barberton. A mass of these plants in full bloom is very striking, the scarlet rays standing out in strong contrast to the green leaves. The specimen from which the present illustration was made flowered at the Botanical Laboratories, Pretoria. Description:—Rootstock perennial. Leaves basal, numerous, 22-45 cm. long, 5-10 cm. broad, somewhat oblong in general outline, deeply lobed, with the terminal lobe broadly ovate, acute, pubescent on both surfaces, especially on the veins beneath; petiole 25-40 cm. long, terete, pilose, tinged with red at the base. Peduncle 25-40 cm. long, terete, pilose, bearing a solitary capitulum. Capitulum 8-10 cm. in diameter when fully expanded. Involucral-bracts about 3-seriate, 1-1·5 cm. long, lanceolate, acuminate, acute, woolly. Receptacle flat, naked. Ray-florets female, scarlet to spectrum-red (R.C.S.); lower limb represented by 2 linear strongly reflexed lobes. Plate 5.—Fig. 1, ray-floret; Fig. 2, disc-floret; Fig. 3, apex of style, showing the two stigmas. F.P.S.A., 1920. [Image unavailable.] 6. K. A. Lansdell del. GLADIOLUS PSITACCINUS, H.K., VAR. COOPERI, B. K. R. |
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