Vellozia. | CXXXVII. AMARYLLIDE® (BAKER). 413 
persistent bases of old leaves black, deeply and narrowly plicate. Leaves 
of flowering tufts linear, 5-8 in. long, } in. diam., densely pubescent on 
both sides when young, less so when mature. Peduncle 2-3 in. long, 
viscous upwards. Perianth-segments lanceolate, 14-2 in. long, 4—4 in. 
broad. Anthers less than half as long asthe perianth-segments. Ovary 
oblong-cylindrical, viscous, 4 in. long.— Barbacenia equatorialis, Harms 
in Engl. Pfl. Ost-Afr. ©. 146. 
Mozamb. Dist. German East Africa: between Uyui and the coast, Taylor ! 
Umba River Valley, Smith ! Usambara; Mlalo, Holst, 2455 ! 
Upnpp CXXXVIII. TACCACEA, (By J. G. Baker.) 
Flowers regular, hermaphrodite. Perianth superior, persistent ; 
tube campanulate; segments 6, subequal, biseriate. Stamens 6, 
inserted in the perianth-tube; filaments hooded, shortly 2-lobed ; 
anthers 2-celled, adnate to the inner side of the hood and projecting 
between the lobes. Ovary inferior, 1-celled, with 3 parietal placentas ; 
ovules many in a cell; style short ; stigma umbrella-shaped, with 3 
bifid lobes. Fruit in Tacca baccate. Seeds with a minute embryo 
and copious albumen.—Herbs with a perennial tuberous rootstock. 
Leaves radical, long petiolate. Flowers greenish-brown, umbellate, 
wg a long naked peduncle, and surrounded by a whorl of foliaceous 
racts. 
Species about 10, spread through the Tropical zone of both hemispheres. 
1. TACCA, Forst. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. iii. 741. 
Characters of the Order. 
1. T. pinnatifida, Forst. Char. Gen. 70, t. 35. Rootstock 
globose, reaching 1 ft. diam. Leaves large, divided into 3 forked 
branches; final segments ovate or lanceolate ; petiole 1-3 ft. long. 
Flowers many in an umbel, mixed with long slender purple filaments ; 
bracts 4—6, oblong; peduncle as long as or longer than the petiole ; 
pedicels 4—1 in. long. Perianth }-} in. long; segments ovate. Berry 
subglobose, 3-1 in. long.—Kunth, Enum. v. 458. T. involucrata, Schum. 
& Thonn. Beskr. Pl. Guin. 177. T. abyssinica, Hochst. in Schimp. PI. 
Abyss. No. 1946. 
Upper Guinea. Lagos, Rowland! Niger Territory: Nupe, Barter, 1541! 
Wile Land. Galabat: Matamma, Schweinfurth, 595! Abyssinia, Schimper, 
1946! Jur: Jur Ghattas, Schweinfurth, ser. iii, 221! 
Lower Guinea. Gaboon River, Mann, 1040! 
South Central, Congo Free State: Monbuttu ; by the River Kibali, Schwein- 
Surth, 3027 ! 
Mozamb. Dist, Zanzibar, Hildebrandt, 1285! German East Africa : Usambara ; 
Kibafuta, Holst, 2131! Portuguese East Africa: Morambala mountain, near the 
foot and at 1000 ft., Kirk, 20! Mozambique, Forbes! British Central Africa : 
Plains of Zomba, 2500-3000 ft., Whyte! Shire Highlands, Buchanan, 4! Mount 
Mlanje, Scott-Elliot, 8676 ! 
