Description:—Acaulescent plant with woody underground stems and fleshy aerial stems and leaves. Stems 2-3 cm. long, 2-2·5 cm. in diameter, very succulent, glabrous. Leaves two to each stem, usually one larger than the other, 1·5-2 cm. long, 0·8-1·3 cm. in diameter, terete, blunt, very succulent, glabrous. Flowers white, arising from the apex of the stems but appearing on a casual examination to come from the base of one of the leaves, when expanded 1·2-1·5 cm. in diameter. Petals in more than one row; the outermost row connate into definite groups, 7 mm. long, less than 0·5 mm. broad, linear, subacute. Stamens in four rows; filaments 1 mm. long, filiform; anthers about 1 mm. long, oblong. Calyx covered with crystalline cells; lobes almost membranous, 1 cm. long, 3 mm. broad, oblong, or oblong ovate, obtuse. Ovary sunk in tissue of stem, 5-celled, with several stalked ovules with axile placentation; upper portion of ovary cone-shaped tipped with five terete, acute styles each 1 mm. long.
[Plate 102.]—Fig. 1, longitudinal section of stem showing sheath of crystalline cells and flower embedded at apex; 2, longitudinal section of flower; 3, sepal; 4, top of ovary showing the five stigmas; 5, cross section of ovary.
F.P.S.A., 1923.
Plate 103.
BRACHYCORYTHIS pubescens.
Cape Province. Natal. Swaziland. Transvaal.