Tab. 6400. 



WATSONIA DENSIFLORA. 



Native of Natal and Cape Colony. 



Nat. Ord. Iridace^. — Tribe Gladiole^:. 

 Genus Watsonia, Miller ; {Baker in Journ. Linn. Soe. vol. xvi. p. 157). 



Watsonia densiflora : bulbo globoso tunicis fibrosis collo setoso, foliis lineanbus 

 rigidis erectis crebre valide nervatis margine stramineo incrassato, caule 1^-2- 

 pedali foliis pluribus reductis adpressis prsedito, floribus pluribus m spicam 

 disticham pedalera vel semipedalem dispositis, bracteis chartaceis brunneis 

 striatis arete imbricatis, exterioribus ovatis vel ovato-lanceolatis, rnterioribus 

 lanceolatis, periantbii rosei 2-3-pollicaris tubo curvato deorsum cylindnco 

 sursum infundibulari, segmentis oblongis acutis tubo duplo brevionbus, 

 genitalibus perianthio brevioribus. 



W. densiilora, Baker in Trimen Journ. 1876, p. 336; in Journ. Linn. Soc. vol. xvi. 

 p. 158. 



This is a well-marked new species of Watsonia, closely re- 

 sembling the old W. Meriana in its single individual flowers, 

 but with very numerous flowers packed in a distichous spike 

 so closely that the bracts are much imbricated. This dense- 

 flowered habit separates it at a glance from all the other 

 true Watsonias, and gives it a distinct individuality ot its own 

 from a horticultural point of view. It was discovered long 

 ago by Drege in Kaftraria, in dales between Omlatu and 

 Onsambuco, at an elevation of between 1000 and 2000 feet 

 above sea-level. It has since been gathered in Natal, where 

 it ascends mountains up to 4000 feet, by Miss Armstrong and 

 Messrs. Plant and Cooper, and also by he latter in the 

 Orange Free State. It was found by Mr. Christopher Mudd, 

 on his recent tour through Natal, and sent alive to Messrs^ 

 Yeitch, with whom it flowered in the month of August of this 



Pr DESCR yea ^^ globose, with coarsely fibrous tunics and a 



bristly neck. Leaves erect, linear, rigidly coriaceous, reach- 



infa length of one and a half or two feet, and a breadth of half 



m inch.°narrowed to the point, with many close strongly- 



DECKMBBB 1st. 187P. 



