Leucospermum cordatum, Phillips in Kew Bulletin, 1923, ined.
Although the South African Proteaceae are usually conspicuous plants and have been recently monographed in the Flora Capensis, undescribed species continue to be discovered. This is the case with the plant here figured, which was collected in November 1922 by Mr. T. P. Stokoe near Kogel Bai, on the Hottentots Holland Mountains at an altitude of 2500 ft.
Mr. Stokoe describes it as a plant of straggling growth among loose stones and grass. We have previously figured a species of this genus (Plate 74), and readers are referred to the description there for the principal differences between the genera Protea and Leucospermum.
The decumbent habit of this species is also found in Leucospermum hypophyllum, but is not common in the family.
Our plate was prepared from fresh plants forwarded by Mr. Stokoe.
Description:—A decumbent plant with long trailing branches. Branches scantily pilose with long hairs. Leaves more or less horizontal or slightly reflexed, 3-5 cm. long, 1·8-2·2 cm. broad at the base, ovate, obtuse with a blunt callus, cordate at the base, pilose and shortly tomentose especially near the base, at length becoming glabrous. Heads solitary, very rarely 3-nate at the ends of the branches, 3-4 cm. in diameter, semiglobose. Peduncle 2 cm. long, covered with numerous barren bracts, tomentose. Bracts 5 mm. long, 3 mm. broad, at the base, ovate, obtuse, sometimes reflexed, pilose outside, glabrous within, ciliate. Receptacle 7 mm. long, 5 mm. in diameter at the base, conical. Floral-bracts 1 cm. long, obovate, shortly awned, attenuate at the base, densely villous outside, glabrous within, ciliate. Perianth-tube 5 mm. long, tubular; lobes 9 mm. long, linear, long pilose; limb 3 mm. long, elliptic, subacuminate, sub-obtuse, pilose without. Anthers 2 mm. long, linear. Ovary 2·5 mm. long, ellipsoid, glabrous; style 1·7 cm. long, terete, glabrous; stigma 1·7 mm. long, conical, shortly subacuminate, swollen at the junction with the style (National Herb. Pretoria 2607).
[Plate 95.]—Fig. 1, flower; Fig. 2, flower showing perianth lobes; Fig. 3, floral bract; Fig. 4, style and stigma; Fig. 5, longitudinal section of receptacle.
F.P.S.A., 1923.