Plate 83. SENECIO medley-woodii.

Natal.

Compositae. Tribe Senecionideae. Senecio, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. ii. p. 446.

Senecio Medley-Woodii, Hutchinson, sp. nov. succulenta caule crasso, foliis carnosis dentatis lanato-pubescentibus, capitulis speciosis flavis distincta.

Rami succulenti, purpurei, juniores lanati, demum glabri. Folia sessilia, 3·5-5 cm. longa, 1·5-3 cm. lata, obovata, breviter apiculata, basi cuneata, superne undulato-dentata, primum lanata, demum plus minusve glabra. Capitula racemoso-corymbosa, 13-14-flora, 19 cm. longa; pedunculi ultimi 3-6 cm. longi, lanati. Involucri bracteae 1·2-1·5 cm. longae, 3-6 mm. latae, lanceolatae ad elliptico-ovatae, obtusae, marginibus membranaceis, extra lanato-tomentosae. Receptaculum planum, 8 mm. latum, foveolatum. Flores radii flavi; limbus 1·5 cm. longus, 5 mm. latus, oblongus, 6-8-nervus, apice minute tridentatus; ovarium glabrum. Flores disci brunneo-flavi; pappus 1 cm. longus; corollae tubus 1·2 cm. longus, glaber. Achaenia glabra.

This is one of the shrubby species of Senecio with succulent stems found in Natal. In cultivation it makes an ornamental shrub having very large yellow-rayed heads. The species was first collected by the late Dr. Medley Wood at Murchison in Natal in 1884 (Wood 3065), and was brought to him from Krantzkloof in August 1915. Dr. Wood had an illustration made for vol. vii of the “Natal Plants,” but did not draw up a description, as specimens were sent to Kew for identification. The present illustration was made from a specimen which flowered in the garden of the Natal Herbarium. This species was the last which Dr. Medley Wood worked at the day before his death.

Specimens are preserved in the National Herbarium, Pretoria (Herb. No. 1604).

Description:—Branches succulent, woolly when young, at length becoming glabrous. Leaves sessile, 3·5-5 cm. long, 1·5-3 cm. broad above, obovate, shortly apiculate, cuneate at the base, with the margins more or less undulate and sometimes toothed in the upper half, woolly when young, at length becoming more or less glabrous. Inflorescence terminal, peduncled, 13-14-flowered, racemose-corymbose, 19cm. long; common peduncle 10 cm. long, woolly; ultimate peduncles 3-6cm. long, few-bracteate, woolly. Bracts 1·5-2cm. long, linear, obtuse, woolly. Involucral-scales 1·2-1·5cm. long, 3-6 mm. broad, lanceolate to elliptic-ovate, obtuse, with more or less membranous margins, woolly-tomentose without. Receptacle flat, 8mm. broad, honeycombed. Ray-flowers pale yellow. Corolla-tube 6mm. long, cylindric; limb 1·5cm. long, 5mm. broad, oblong, 6-8-nerved, minutely 3-toothed at the apex. Pappus 9mm. long; setae very minutely barbellate. Ovary 4mm. long, linear in outline, glabrous; style 8mm. long, cylindric, somewhat thickened at the base; lobes 2mm. long, linear obtuse. Disc-flowers brownish-yellow. Pappus 1cm. long, very minutely barbellate. Corolla-tube 1·2cm. long, gradually widening upwards, glabrous; lobes 1·5mm. long, ovate, obtuse. Filaments inserted at the constricted portions of the corolla-tube, 6mm. long, linear, slightly broadened below the anthers; anthers 4mm. long, with a short ovate appendage, blunt at the base. Ovary 4·5mm. long, linear in outline, glabrous; style 1·1cm. long, cylindric; lobes 2mm. long, flat on the inner face, convex on the back, truncate and shortly bristly at the apex.

Plate 83.—Fig. 1, ray-flower; Fig. 2, disc-flower; Fig. 3, upper portion of style with lobes; Figs. 4, 5, involucral bracts; Fig. 6, fruit.

F.P.S.A., 1923.

S. Gower del