cultivating in every stove or warm greenhouse. It flowers during 
the summer months. 
Duscr. Var. variegata. The rhizome, rather than stem, is 
short and ascending. The /eaves are numerous from the sum- 
mit of the rhizome, somewhat aloid, lanceolate, firm, rather 
thick and fleshy, sheathing at the base, dark-green above, with 
pale-yellow streaks running longitudinally, as in the well-known 
“ Ribbon-grass,” but the lines are less distinct, the back of the 
leaves has a blunt keel, and the colour is a rich purple. Peduncles 
short, thick, axillary, not rising above the sheathing base of the 
leaf, bearing three large dracte@, which are complicate, compressed, 
the two upper ones opposite to each other, and completely equi- 
tant, so as to form a compressed cup or ¢zvolucre, resembling a 
bivalve-shell (some large Zéd/ina), of a purple colour, within which 
the flowers appear, and which are but slightly, if at all, protruded : 
these flowers are pure white. Calyx of three, ovate, spreading 
sepals. Corolla of three, nearly cordate, spreading petals, larger 
than the calyx. Stamens six. Filaments filiform, singular, tortuose, 
bearing a tuft of long, jointed hairs below the middle. Axthers all 
perfect, transversely oblong, subdidymous, yellow. Ovary globose. 
Style subulate. Capsule small, subbaccate, three-celled, red. 
Fig. 1. Flower-bud, _2. Flower expanded. 3. Stamen. 4. Pistil :—magni- 
fied, 5. Capsule, nat. size. 6. Transverse section of ditto, magnified. 
