SPKCIKS OF MP^SEMBUYANTriEMUM. 



77 



r 



miioli longer cylindrical basal part than the vegetative growth that after- 

 wards develops by the side of it. In the following descriptions the longest 

 measurement of the cylindric body that is given usually refers to this 

 flowerino- growth. Generally one vegetative growth only is formed, but 



occasionally two are deveIo])e<], one on each side of the ba.t^e of the flowering 

 growth from the axils of the two old leaves. If the flower fails to develop, 

 as frequently happens in this country from wiint of sunlight and heat, then 

 the flowering growth subsequently develops a vegetative growth, iind nuiy 



possibly do so even when flower and fruit are formed, but of this I have no 

 evidence. 



M. lUiJRACTEATUM, IIuw. (?1. 6. fig. 11). Stendess or nearly so, branching 

 at the base. Leaves 0-8 cm. long, 8-10 mm. broad and 6-8 mm. thick at 

 the base, thence, viewed from above, gradually tapering to an acute apex^ 

 and in side view of nearly equal thickness throughout, with one leaf of each 



pair acute or subacute and the other more or less dorsally rounded at the 



on the upper side, rounded on the back at the basal part luid 



apex 



flat 



keeled at the apical ]»art, apiculate, each pair united at the base into a 

 cylindric body or sheath 1:5-2') mm. long; surface smooth, glabror.s, but 

 probably with the keel and margins at the apical part very minutelv 

 puberulous-ciliato, glaucous-green, thickly dotted with dark green. Pe- 

 duncle 10-12^ cm. long, according to Haworth with I bracts in two pairs, 

 always much shorter than it, but the lower jjair is really the pair of leaves 

 from between wdiich the peduncle arises, the true bracts (represented in bud 

 .on tlie Kew drawing, copied on PI. 6. fig. 14) are {daced a little below the 

 middle of the peduncle, and are united into a sheath for half their length, 

 their frise portions very much shorter than the peduncle, 2-2^ cm, lon<>-, 

 leaf-like, acute. Calyx usually 5-lobed. Corolla about 4 cm. in diameter 

 closed at night ; petals in about .'? series, yellow. Stamens numerous. 

 Stigmas 10, as long as the stamens and finally longer than them, subulate, 

 erect, with spreading tips. — 31. iibracleatum, Haw. Synop. j). 213 (1812); 

 & Rev. p. 92. AL rostratum var. hrerihradeatum, Salm-Dyck, Mesemb. § 3, 



fig. 7A 



South AriucA. Locality and collector unknown. Introduced into 

 cultivation about the year 1803. 



The above description is compiled partly from the account of it given by 

 Haworth (all the characters given in his description being included), partly 

 from Salm-Dyck's excellent iigure of the plant in flower. 



Haworth's description of this species is to a great extent a comparison of 

 its characters with those of the plant he called J/, rostratum (M. tuher- 

 culatam, Milk), not the true ili. rostratum, Linn. Haworth states that 

 M. Uhracteaium is very like his A/, rostratum but a little more robust 

 (whereas the true J/, rostratum, Linn, is much stouter than If. bibracteatum) , 



I 



