remains of old leaves, from which spring the recent ones ; 
these are one and two feet long, linear, tapering, flaccid, 
striated, keeled, glaucous beneath, but scarcely so above. 
Scape two to three feet high, simple or branched, rounded, 
glabrous, bracteated ; bracteas below somewhat leafy ; bear- 
ing a long raceme of rather large pure white flowers, mostly 
three together from each lanceolate bractea : but of these 
three, only one opens at a time, and that only for one day. 
Pedicels half an inch or more long, curved in flower, erect 
before and after. Sepals six, spreading, elliptical, the three 
outer the smallest, with a single broad rib; three inner 
larger, with three nerves and a broad, waved margin. Sta- 
mens six: Filaments erecto-patent, remarkably thickened 
upwards: Anthers oblong, yellow. Germen oval: Style 
larger than the stamens, somewhat spindle-shaped : Stigma 
terminated with a minute pencil of hairs. 
Fig. 1. Flower from which the Perianth is removed :—Magnijfied. 
