Description:—A subherbaceous plant with long slender and graceful branches from an underground rootstock. Branches terete, pubescent. Leaves opposite, decussate, 2-3 cm. long, 1-2·2 cm. broad, the upper leaves smaller than the lower, ovate, sub-apiculate, cordate at the base, with distinct reticulate veining and with the midrib prominent beneath, sparsely pubescent, with ciliated margins. Inflorescence a 5-6-flowered axillary raceme, arranged in the axils of the upper leaves. Peduncle 1·3 cm. long, terete, pubescent. Pedicels 1·5 cm. long, articulated in the lowermost ⅓, pubescent, bearing 2 small bracts. Sepals 3·5 mm. long, 1·5 mm. broad, oblong, rounded above, sparsely pubescent. Petals 1 cm. long, 6 mm. broad, concave, oblong, rounded above, produced into a claw at the base, with fimbriated margins; the lowermost petal overlapping the others in bud and larger than the rest. Stamens 10; filaments 5 mm. long, glabrous; stamens 2 mm. long, linear-oblong. Ovary 2 mm. long, globose, villous; styles 3, two stand erect; the posterior style reflexed and smaller than the other two. Fruit 3-winged with the wings deeply saucer-shaped. (National Herb. Pretoria, No. 2642.)
[Plate 109.]—Fig. 1, bud; 2, median longitudinal section of flower; 3, pistil; 4, fruit..
F.P.S.A., 1923.
S. Gower del.