MR. J. a. BAKER OX AXTHEHICK^ AND KRIOSPERMEJR. 253 



Revision of the Genera and Species of Anthericeao and Erio- 



spermesa. By J. (x. B.vkWr, Esq., F.L.S. 



[Read December 2, 1875.] 



The present is the fifth of the series of monographs on section* 

 of the natural order Liliacese which I have had the honour of 

 laying before the Society. It includes the small tribe Eriospermeaa 

 and the large tribe Anthericese. These two, with Scilleae and 

 Tulipese, which have been treated already, and Allieae, Aphyl- 

 lanthese, and TuccoideaB, still untouched, make up that large 

 central series in the order, which is characterized by distinct 

 perianth-segments in combination with capsular fruit and introrse 

 stamens. Eriospermese are well marked from all the other Liliacea3 

 by their peculiar habit, large arms, and testa clothed with a dense 

 mass of silky hairs. We know now twenty species against 

 Kunth's eight in .1843; and as the genus or, what is the same 



- 



thing, the tribe stretches from Cape colony to Abyssinia and 

 Angola, it is probable that many new species still remain to be 

 discovered. Anthericese is the largest of all the tribes of Liliaceae, 

 and the one that of all others has most needed revision. Scarcely 

 any of its members are showy enough to be objects of general 

 cultivation, like many of the genera which I have already treated ; 

 and this is no doubt one reason why it has been so neglected. 

 Its geographical range is very wide, and stretches over extensive 

 tracts of the country that have only been explored of late years, 

 such as Central Africa, Central Asia, and the Transvaal region ; 

 and as the species known of old are classified and characterized 

 in such a confused way that it is impossible to recognize many of 

 them, the consequence has been that very few of the novelties of 

 recent gathering have been named and described, and there is no 

 tribe in the order in which there are so many novelties left for a 

 monographer to publish. Besides publishing novelties, and re- 

 describing, after inspection of the types, species of which the 

 existing descriptions are too meagre for their recognition, the 

 principal revision that is needed is in regard of the plants 

 which I have placed under Antliericum. Anthericum is a genus 

 that was published by Linnaeus, which was maintained by Will- 

 denow and by Eoemer and Schultes. WhenKunth, in 1843, worked 

 up the tribe for the fourth volume of his ' Enumeration he sunk the 



LINN. JOURN. — BOTANY, VOL. IV. V 



