Tab. 5619. 



BOWIEA VOLUBILIS. 



Twining Bowiea. 



Nat. Orel. Liliacejs. — Hexandhia Monouyma. 



Gen. Char. Flores abortu monoici. Perianth i urn 6-partituin, herbaceum, 

 laciniis patenti-reflexis lineari-subulatis apicibus incurvis glandulosis. Sta- 

 mina hypogyna, in fl. $ imperfecta, minuta, in fl. <$ filamentis lineari- 

 subulatis; antherce oblonga?, 2-loculares. Ovarium couico-heinisphaericum, 

 lata basi sessile, 3-loculare ; stylus breviuscul us, rectus, stigmate capitato 

 3-lobo; ovula in loculis ad 6. Capsula oblongo-eoniea, obtusa, 3-gona, 

 inembranacea, loculicide 3-valvis, polyspermia. Semina irregulariter ob- 

 longa, compressa; testa laxa inembranacea, atra, splendila. — Herbs aphjlla. 

 Tuber globosum, carnosum, apice nudum v. squamis paucis parvis trianyu* 

 lari-subulatis circa basin pedunculi imbricatis coronatum. Pedunculus 

 floriferus volubilis, viridis, carnosulus, ramosissimus, ramis inferioribus 

 ramulosis, ramulis dichotomis divaricatis teretibus corniculatis non florid 

 feris, superioribus in pedicellis elongatis curvis de.iinentibus. Flores inter 

 minores, virides. 



Bowiea volubilis. Han. mss. 



Though possessing little beauty, this is certainly one of 

 the most curious plants ever introduced into Europe, and 

 is further perfectly new to science ; for though in botanical 

 characters allied to Ih'imia and SciUu. in habit and general 

 appearance it is like no other plant whatever. It consists of 

 little more than a globose, fleshy, almost tuberous, green 

 bulb, from the apex of which ascends yearly a very slender, 

 twining, green flower-stem, six to eight feet high, that throws 

 off an abundance of compound, curving, flowerless branches 

 below, and above bears numerous small, green flowers. For se- 

 veral years a specimen of this plant, sent to the Royal Gardens 

 by Henry Hutton, Esq., of Grahamstown, was an object of 

 great curiosity at Kew ; the twining, branched flower-stem 

 ascended, like a Cape Asparagus, the rafters of the succulent- 

 house for four or five feet, and as this bore no flowers, was 

 presumed to be a branched, leafless stem proper. This died 



J ANITA TJX 1ST, 1807. 



