Descr. Whole plant a foot or a foot and a half long. ate 
Leaves in a dense basal rosette, their rigid ventricose erect 
dilated base two or three inches long and broad ; blade six 
or nine inches long, an inch broad at the base, tapering 
gradually to a long point, very much twisted spirally from 
low down, firm in texture, densely lepidote on both surfaces. © : 
Pedunele short, quite hidden by its numerous amplexicaul 
red-tinted lepidote imbricated bract-like leaves, with short | a 
free linear recurving tips. Spikes four to eight in a short 
panicle, distichous, three or four inches long, under an inch 
broad ; bracts oblong-lanceolate, much imbricated, densely — . 
lepidote. Calyz half an inch long, hidden by the amplexi- 
caul bract, glabrous, cut down nearly to the base. Corolla _ 
cylindrical, bright lilac, an inch and a half long. Stamens 
' exserted. Style-branches overtopping the stamens, short, ~ 
twisted spirally, flattened towards the tip. Capsule an © 
inch and a half long.—J. G. Baker, : a 
Fig. 1, Lepidote scale from a leaf :—much enlarged ; 2, a flower complete except 
the calyx :—life size ; 3, front view of an anther; 4, back view of an anther; 5, 
pistil :—all more or less enlarged. 
