Tab. 5378. 



ELEMANTHUS Natalensis, Pappe. 



Natal Hcemanthus. 



Nat. Ord. Amaryllidace^e. — Hexandria Monogynia. 

 Gen. Char. {Fide supra, Tab. 4745.) 



HjEMANTHUS Natalensis ; caulescens, foliosus, basi squamis 3-4 amplis orbiculari- 

 oblongis obtusis amplexantibus arete irabricatis pallide viridibus purpureo- 

 punctatis apice femigineo-purpureis, foliis amplis caulinis oblongis acutis 

 basi longe vagiiumtibus immaculatis, scapo terminali crasso elongato apice 

 praecipue semitereti, involucri hcxaphylli bracteis amplis foliaceis subsequa- 

 libus pulchrc femigineo-purpureis umbello subbrevioribus apice undulatis, 

 perianthii laciniis erectis Liaearibua viridibus erectis, ovario fructibusque 

 globosis. 



ILejiaxthus Natalensis. Pappe> in lift, cum ic. 



This is a charming greenhouse plant. It will be at once 

 seen that it is a near ally of our Hamanthm imignis, from the 

 same country, figured by us at Tab. 4745 of this work, and be- 

 longing to the same group or section characterized by the " folia 

 cylindraceo-vaginantia, floris limbo erecto," and no less so by the 

 size and rich colouring of their flower-heads. But the present 

 one is essentially distinguished by the large beautifully-coloured 

 and clotted sheathing scales at the base of the plant, by the 

 much longer leaves, by the pale-green colour of the flowers, the 

 orange-coloured stamens and styles, and by the nearly uniform 

 bracteas of the involucre, of a most rich ferrugineous-purple 

 colour, shorter than the flowers. 



It was first made known to us as a native of Natal by the 

 lute Dr. Pappe, some years ago, and lately we had the great 

 pleasure of receiving bulbs from the same country, from 

 Dr. Sanderson, in 1802 ; and they flowered and adorned our 

 Cape-bulb house by blossoming in February of the present 

 year, 1863. 



Fig. 1. Single flower from the umbel; and 2, pistil: — both magnified. 

 may 1st, 1863. 



