Tab. 5522. 



drimia altissima. 



Lofty Drimia. 



Nat. Ord. Asphodeleje. — Hexandria Monogynia. 



Gen. Char. Perigonium corollinum, sexpartitum, laciniia aequalibus reflexis, 

 apice cucullatis. Stamina 6, basi laciniarum perigonii inserta ; filamenta basi 

 dilatata, conniventia, tria superiora paullo breviora. Ovarium triloculare. OvuJa 

 plurima, biseriata, horizontalia, auatropa. Stylus rectus, trigonus ; stigma ob- 

 tusum, muricatum. Capsula merabranacea, acute triquetra, apice loculicido- 

 dehiscens. Semina pauca, subglobosa. — Herbse Capenses, bulbosa? ; foliis 

 radicalibus oblongo-linearibus ; racemo scapum Cseepius prcecocem) terminante, 

 mmplici; pedicellis unibracteatis. Endl. 



Drimia altissima ; bulbo parvo oblongo-ovato squamoso, foliis bipedalibus scapo 

 coastaneo multo brevioribus lingulato-lanceolatis obtusiusculis lsevibus, scapo 

 4-pedali apice raultifloro, pedicellis horizontali-patentibus semiunciam 

 longis, bracteis lineari-subulatis aequilongis, sepalis viridibus uniformibus 

 dimidio superiore insigniter subspiraliter retroflexis, filamentis elongatis in 

 tubum approximatis. 



The Cape genus Drimia of Jacquin, like many other Aspho- 

 deleous genera, has its characters very vaguely expressed, and 

 Professor Kunth remarks of it : " Lachenaliam cum Scilla jungit, 

 huic ob semina affinior " yet this latter author has separated his 

 new genus Idothea from it, and it is difficult to say to which of 

 the two our present species should be referred. It is quite dif- 

 ferent from any in either genus, and remarkable for its great 

 size, large and copious green flowers, and the great length ot the 

 bracts, much exceeding the flowers before their expansion. It 

 is a native of Natal, and we owe the possession of it to our 

 valued friend John Sanderson, Esq., of D'Urban. It is certainly 

 the finest of all the Drimias. 



Descr. Bulb scarcely larger than a pigeon's egg, tumcated 

 with the bases of old fallen leaves. Leaves one to one and a halt 

 feet long, nearly erect, attaining their perfect size before the 



July 1st, 1865. 



