NEMA, Geissorhiza, Ixia, Sparaxis, Tbitonia, Lapev- 

 BousiA, Hespebantha, Anomatheca, Watsonia, and Ba- 

 biana, genera, in our apprehension, as expedient and mu- 

 tually as distinct in character and habit as the confining 

 generic groups of any of the orders of the Monocotyle- 

 donous division of Vegetables. 



The drawing is from a plant which flowered about four 

 years ago in Mr. Griffin's conservatory at South Lambeth, 

 and had been received from the Cape of Good Hope. It is 

 a variety that we have not before met with in our collec- 

 tions. 



Maculata, curiously variable in the colour of the flower, 

 displays itself in every hue and shade, not excepting the 

 most beautiful greens, and even black, colours so rare in the 

 corolla of other vegetables. As a species, we confess, we 

 can find no other line of demarcation between it and erectUy 

 variable in the same way and to the same extent, but 

 the circular spot in the centre of the limb of the first, 

 which is not in the latter, nor should we have separated 

 the two had we not found them established by former bota- 

 nists of eminence. 



The nucleus or bud of the bulb-tuber of this genus, like 

 that of Crocus, resembles in substance the kernel of a 

 chestnut, and dies yearly away concealed within its dry 

 fibro-membranous permanent coats, while evolving another 

 which is to bear the flower of the season. In Watsonia 

 the bulb-tuber, which perishes, is the one that has itself 

 borne the flower of the season, the scape of which is trans- 

 mitted between two principal buds, evolved during its 

 growth, and which do not flower until the ensuing season. 



