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.