RICHARDIA MELANOLEUCA.
Natal.
Aroideae. Tribe Philodendreae.
Richardia, Kunth; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. iii. p. 982.
Richardia melanoleuca, Hook. f. in Bot. Mag. t. 5765; Fl. Cap. vol. vi.
p. 38.
On Plate 10 we figured a species of Richardia (R. angustifolia) found in the Transvaal and Basutoland, and on comparing that plate with the present one, illustrating a Natal species, the most striking difference noticed is the different colour of the spathes. In both species the spathes are blotched at the base, but the leaves of R. melanoleuca are usually covered with translucent spots due to the loss of chlorophyll (for further details see Saxton in Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Afr. vol. iii. p. 136).
The species is fairly common in parts of Natal, and is often found cultivated in local gardens. It was introduced into England and flowered there in 1868.
Our plate was prepared from specimens collected at Krantz Kloof, near Durban.
Description:—Root tuberous. Petiole of leaf 15 to 35 cm. long, furrowed on the inner surface, with soft bristles on the lower parts; blade 10 to 25 cm. long, 12 to 20 cm. broad across the basal lobes, cordate, deltoid or ovate-deltoid, acute, with a subulate point, hastate or sagittate at the base, green, shining, glabrous, covered with numerous translucent spots. Spathe 5 to 8 cm. long, obliquely subtruncate at the mouth; spadix shortly stipitate, cylindric. Ovary sessile; stigma sessile or subsessile. Anthers numerous. Staminodes none.[{88}]