bloom. Some of the masses are three feet in diameter.” A 
fruiting specimen from Mr. Bidwill is given in the ‘Icones 
Plantarum ’ above quoted. 
Descr. “ Root with very large fleshy fibres.” Zeaves eighteen 
inches long, linear-ligulate, canaliculate, glaucous-green, striated, 
acuminated, rather indurated at the point, the base yellowish: 
the three or four outer ones, nearest the root, are reduced to brown 
scales. Scape quite leafless, a foot and a half to two feet and 
even thirty inches high, erect, terete, bearing at the top nu- 
merous golden-yellow flowers in a rather lax raceme. Pedicels 
erect, bracteated, dracteas ovate, with a subulate point rather 
shorter than the pedicels. Perianth of six oblong spreading 
sepals. Stamens six: filaments subulate, arising from the base of 
the sepals. Ovary obovate, with three furrows. Style subulate, 
rather longer than the ovary. Capsule oblong-obovate, mucro- 
nate, elevated on a short stipes, three-celled, six-seeded. W. J. H. 
Cuxr. Living roots of this plant were received in 1848, but 
it was for some time doubtful whether we should succeed in 
cultivating it. This season, however, several plants have so far 
progressed as to produce flowers. We have hitherto kept it in 
a cool frame during winter, for though it comes from an ele- 
vated region in a high southern latitude, we fear it may not be 
sufficiently hardy to bear the severity of some of our winters. 
Its representative in Europe is the well-known genus Aspho- 
delus. JS. 
Fig. 1. Flower. 2. Pistil :—magnified. 
ne 
