Gazania, Gaertn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. ii. p. 459.
Gazania subulata, R. Br. in Ait. Hort. Kew. ed. II. vol. v. p. 140; Fl. Cap. vol. iii. p. 473.
The native species of Gazania receive perhaps more attention from gardeners than other groups of South African Compositae. This is due to their easy cultivation and the brightness of their “flowers.” The general names “Gousblom” and “Marigolds” are applied indiscriminately to various species of Gazania, Arctotis and Dimorphotheca.
Our plate was prepared from plants flowering at the Division of Botany, Pretoria. The plant is acquiescent and forms a compact clump about 2 feet in diameter. It flowers freely and is easily propagated. We hope in future numbers to illustrate all the better known kinds of “Gousblom,” especially some of the beautiful Namaqualand species.
Our specimen bears out Harvey’s statement that this species and G. longiscapa are scarcely distinct, as it agrees with G. subulata in having the peduncle pilose and with G. longiscapa in the cartilaginous-ciliate leaves which are glabrous on the mid-rib below.
Specimens of the plant figured are preserved in the National Herbarium, Pretoria (Herb. No. 1447).
Description:—An acaulescent plant. Leaves radical, crowded, 10-40 cm. long, 2-6 mm. broad, linear, subacute, with a short spine at the apex, narrowed and channelled below and sheathing at the base, dark green and glabrous above, white tomentose beneath, except on the midrib, with the margins spinulose-ciliate. Peduncle 24 cm. long, terete, hollow, pilose on the uppermost third, with 1 or 2 bracts. Involucral scales connate at the base; tube 1 cm. long, 7 mm. in diameter, glabrous, intruse at the base; scales in three rows, 1-1·5 cm. long; the outer linear-acuminate, acute, with spinulose margins; the inner ovate, acuminate, acute, with membranous margins. Receptacle convex, honeycombed. Ray-florets neuter, 3·2 cm. long; the limb 1·2 cm. broad, obovate-oblong, obtuse, with a broad mouse-coloured band beneath and about 15-veined. Disc florets hermaphrodite, 1-2 cm. long; tube 5-angled; lobes 4 mm. long, linear-oblong, obtuse. Anthers minutely tailed at the base. Pappus of delicate linear acuminate scales hidden by the long hairs which cover the ovary. Ovary densely villous; style with a thickened ring about the middle; lobes linear, obtuse.
Plate 51.—Fig. 1, flowers and leaves; Fig. 2, upper portion of style; Fig. 3, stamens; Fig. 4, longitudinal section of capitulum with hairs from ovary removed; Fig. 5, corolla laid open; Fig. 6, disc-floret, showing pappus, with hairs from the ovary removed; Fig. 7, plant, much reduced.