Tap. 7785. 
CYANOTIS arrsura. 
Native of Abyssinia, 
Nat. Ord. Commnrinace#®.—Tribe TRADESCANTIER. 
Genus Cranoris, D. Don.; (Benth. & Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. iii. p. 851.) 
Cyranotis (Hucyanotis) hirsuta; tuberibus globosis, caulibus erectis ramosis 
foliisque laxe villosis v. glabratis, foliis 2-12 poll. longis #-# poll. latis 
linearibus ciliatis, spicis densifloris terminalibus et axillaribus sessilibus 
v. breviter pedunculatis, bracteis foliaceis lineari-lanceolatis ciliatis spicas 
spissime longe superantibus, bracteolis oblongis falcatis acutis viridibus 
ciliatis, calyce ad medium 3-fido lobis ovatis acutis, petalis roseis unguibus 
basin prope connatis lamina fere orbiculari 4 poll. diam., filamentis 
usque ad apices pilis azureis dense barbatis, antheris minutis aareis, 
ovario oblongo styloque villoso, capsula clavata 3-loba glabra valvulis 
placente unitis axi centrali 0, seminibus. quadrato-pyramidatis obscure 
foveolatis et rugosis, 
C. hirsuta, Fisch. Mey. § Avé-Lall. Ind. Sem. Hort. Petrop. vol. viii. (1841) 
p. 57. Clarke in A. & C. DO. Monog. Phan. vol. iii. p. 254, et in FI. 
Trop. Afr. vol. viii. ined. 
C. abyssinica, A. Rich. Fl. Abyss. vol. ii. p. 344, tab. 98. Hassk. Commel. 
Ind. p. 139. 
Commelina hirsuta, Hochst. in Herd. Abyss. Schimp. n. 14, non aliorum. 
‘“ygomenes abyssinica, Hassk. in Schweinf. Beitr. Fl. Athiop. p. 211. 
Cyanotis hirsuta was discovered on Mt. Chiré, near 
Adoa, in Abyssinia, in about 1840, by Schimper, who 
describes it as having eatable tuberous roots, about the 
size of a chestnut, called Burko by the natives. Tubers 
were presented to the Royal Gardens, Kew, by A. B. 
Wylde, Esq., the Abyssinian traveller, who collected them 
at a high elevation, where the plant is said to be abundant. 
The species is very variable in size, and in the length and 
breadth of the leaves. It flowered almost throughout the 
year in a greenhouse. 
Descr.—Tubers globose, an inch or more in diameter. 
Stem erect, a foot or more high, branched, and leaves and 
bracts villous, with soft hairs. Leaves two to twelve 
inches long by a quarter to three-fourths of an inch 
broad, linear, flaccid. Spikes terminal and axillary, sessile, 
or shortly peduncled, much shorter than the leaf-like bracts ; 
bracteoles densely imbricate, oblong, falcate, acute, green, 
ciliate. Calyx 3-lobed to the middle; lobes ovate, acute. 
Juty ist, 1901. 
