moist stove, flowered in the winter of 1S46-7. In proof that 
the highly coloured leaves aftbrd no permanent character, these 
became, after flowering, of the same uniform green as the rest of 
the foliage. 
The TlUanddas exhibit strange forms, and many of them highly 
beautiful inflorescence; but they are very unintelligible, when 
studied in the Herbarium, and little sought after by those who 
send home living plants; so that our knowledge of the species is 
but imperfect. It is to be regretted, too, that they are difficult 
to keep long in a state of cultivation, generally dying soon after 
flowering, more frequently without blossoming at all. 
Descr. Plants clustered, two or more united at the base, and 
sometimes growing in two opposite directions, and in the instance 
here represented, slightly attached to the branches of trees by 
slender feathery fibres. Stem simple, leafy at the base, immediately 
swollen and bulbiform. Leaves a span or more long, subulate, 
coriaceous, rigid, waved and somewhat spirally twisted, terete 
from the singularly incurved or almost convolute sides, dark 
green, naked, the bases of the lower ones singularly dilated into 
very broad membranaceous sheathing bases to the bulb, pale- 
coloured wdth a red margin, dotted; the upper leaves gradually 
smaller and almost bracteiform, richly tinged with scarlet and 
yellow. Spike racemose, the branches compressed, and clothed 
with distichous, scarlet, imbricated bracteas, entirely concealing 
the flower-buds. Flowers protruded beyond the bracteas. Calyx 
of three green convolute sepals. Corolla of three linear-lanceo¬ 
late, purple, acuminated petals, twice as long as the calyx. 
Stamens and st]/le exserted. Filaments dilated below the apex. 
Stigmas three, cuneate, fringed at the edge. 
Fig. 1. Flower. 2. Pistil;— magnified. 
