Ficoideae. Tribe Mesembryeae.
Roodia, N. E. Brown (genus novum). Herba succulenta, nana, caespitosa. Proles bifoliatae. Pedunculus bracteatus, uniflorus. Calyx in tubum distinctum supra ovarium productus 6-lobus. Petala numerosa, libera. Stamina numerosissima, pluriseriata, omnia a basi in tubum abrupte inflexa, exterioribus brevioribus. Ovarium multiloculare. Stigma parvum, inconspicuum, sessile, integrum. Fructus multilocularis; loculi alis binis subchartaceis tecti et dorsum versus tuberculo clausi.
Roodia digitifolia, N. E. Brown. Planta 8-11 cm. alta, caespitosa, glabra. Proles bifoliatae, confertae. Folia erecta, 8-11 cm. longa, 10-15 mm. crassa, digitiformia, subteretia faciebus interioribus planis, apice obtusissima, inferne viridia, superne purpureo-tincta. Pedunculus 3-6 cm. longus, apice 4-5 mm. crassus, erectus, uniflorus, infra medium bibracteatus, purpureus. Calycis tubus cum ovario 10 mm. longus, 10-11 mm. diametro; lobi inaequales, 5-8 mm. longi, 5-7 mm. lati, ovati, obtusi vel subacuti. Corolla circiter 4 cm. diametro; petala numerosa, subquadriseriata, exteriora circiter 15 mm. longa et 1 mm. lata, interiora breviora, linearia, apice obtusa vel dentata, pulchre purpurea. Stamina numerosissima, in tubum calycis abrupte et arcte inflexa. Ovarium supra concavum. Stigma sessile, parvum, inconspicuum. Fructus 12-14-locularis.
Cape Province: Van Rhynsdorp Division, near Van Rhynsdorp (Mrs. E. Rood). Growing at the Division of Botany, Pretoria (Garden No. 403).
This interesting plant is so like some species of Mesembryanthemum in general appearance, that most would unhesitatingly place it in that genus. For a long time past, however, as I have elsewhere stated, it has been dawning upon me that Mesembryanthemum, as at present understood, is rather of the nature of a natural order than of a single genus. In vegetative characters it presents a very great amount of variation, and in most cases any particular kind of variation is found to be common to several species, so as to form of them a group, indicating a generic difference from the others. About a hundred years ago Haworth recognised this and gave generic names to some of the groups he had formed, which have neither been accepted nor taken notice of by subsequent authors.
Undoubtedly there is a great similarity in the flowers of many groups of this genus that differ widely in their vegetative characteristics; yet when investigated differences in floral structure may often be found also, which, taken in conjunction with vegetative characters, are quite as great and as distinctive as those which separate genera in many other families of plants. This is the case with the plant at present under consideration, for I find that it has a combination of three floral characters, which, so far as known to me do not all occur together in any species of Mesembryanthemum, namely: (1) the calyx is produced into a distinct green tube above the ovary; (2) the stamens are all abruptly bent down into the calyx-tube; and (3) the stigma is sessile, undivided, and inconspicuous. Upon this combination of characters in conjunction with its vegetative character, I establish a new genus, and have much pleasure in naming it after its discoverer, Mrs. E. Rood, of Van Rhynsdorp, who sent living plants of it to Dr. I. B. Pole Evans at Pretoria, where it flowered. The accompanying figure of it was sent to me by Dr. Pole Evans, together with a living plant and a flower in fluid, with some notes by Dr. E. P. Phillips, from which the description has been prepared.
Description:—A dwarf succulent plant branching at or below ground level and forming clumps about 8-11 cm. high. Leaves 2 to each growth, or 4 when the new growth is made, 8-11 cm. long, 10-15 mm. thick, erect, nearly cylindric or finger-like, but with the inner face flattened, united at the base, obtuse at the apex, glabrous and smooth, green below, purplish at the apical part. Peduncle erect, 3-6 cm. long, and 4-5 mm. thick at the apex, with a pair of bracts about 2 cm. long below the middle. Calyx 6-lobed, tube (including the ovary) 10 mm. long, produced about 7 mm. above the ovary, about 10-11 mm. in diameter, slightly constricted under the lobes, glabrous, green; lobes unequal, 5-8 mm. long, 5-7 mm. broad, ovate, subacute or obtuse, four of them with membranous margins. Corolla about 4 cm. in diameter, petals numerous, in about 4 series, loosely recurved, spreading over one another, the outer about 15 mm. long and 1 mm. broad, the others gradually shorter, all linear, obtuse or notched at the apex, bright magenta. Stamens very numerous, all abruptly bent into and closely pressed against the calyx-tube in a dense mass, leaving a clear central opening to the stigma, the outermost series being the shortest. Stigma sessile, sunk in a slight pit and level with the concave top of the ovary, entire, inconspicuous.