Tas. 6463. 
GLADIOLUS BRACHYANDRUS, 
Native of Zambesi Land. 
Nat. Ord. Intpackm.—Tribe GLADIOLER. 
Genus Guapiotus, Linn.; (Baker in Journ. Linn, Soe. vol. xvi. p. 170.) 
Guaptotvus brachyandrus ; bulbo magno subgloboso tunicis exterioribus brunneis, 
foliis basalibus 4-5 parvis ensiformibus subcoriaceis venis exsculptis, pedunculo 
subpedali foliis 1~2 valde reductis predito, spica subpedali laxe 8-10-floro 
floribus ascendentibus, spathe valvis lanceolatis flore subduplo brevioribus, 
perianthii rubri magnitudine mediocris tubo brevi curvato late infundibulari, 
segmentis ineequalibus oblongis acutis, sn ae majori haud cucullato, latera- 
libus paulo minoribus, 3 inferioribus multo minoribus, staminibus perianthio 
triente brevioribus antheris albis, stylo staminibus xquilongo stigmatibus 
oblongis longe unguiculatis. 
It has been ascertained during the last twenty years 
that there are a considerable number of Gladioli amongst 
the mountains of Tropical Africa, which are distinct specifi- 
cally from all the well-known old types of the Cape and 
Mediterranean region. Dr. Welwitsch found in Angola 
eleven species, of which ten proved new, and others have 
been met with in Guinea, Abyssinia, the Upper Nile country, 
and Zambesi-land. The present plant, however, is the first 
of these Tropical African species that has reached this 
country alive. It was sent about a couple of years ago to 
the Edinburgh Botanical Garden from the Shire Highlands 
by Mr. John Buchanan, along with another less showy 
species, which also proves to be new. It comes nearest 
the Natal G. Eckloni, lately figured in the Macazinn (tab. 
6335), and the old well-known G. blandus, but 1s readily 
marked at a glance from all its neighbours by its short 
stamens and very unequal perianth-segments. Our drawing 
was made from a plant flowered by Mr. Sadler at Edinburgh 
in the month of July of the present year. 
Descr. Bulb depresso-globose, about a couple of inches 
DECEMBER Ist, 1879. 
