Tas. 5810. 
GLADIOLUS crRvUENTUS. 
Blood-red Gladiolus. 
Nat. Ord. InrpE#.—TRIANDRIA MonoGynta- - 
Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tas. 5427.) 
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Gapioius cruentus ; scapo bipedali, foliis elongato-ensiformibus glaucis, spica 
disticha, perianthii late campanulati segmentis obovatis emarginatis 
sanguineo-coccineis, lateralibus saturatioribus zona pallida notatis, 
tubo gracili spatha acuminata breviore, genitalibus perianthio subs- 
quilongis, stigmatibus gracilibus recurvis. 
GuaproLus cruentus, Moore in Gard. Chron., 1868, p. 1139. 
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This very beautiful plant, a native of the Colony of Natal, 
in South Africa, was flowered by Mr. Bull, at his nurseries in 
Chelsea, in September, 1868. It is specifically allied to G. 
Cardinalis, which is indigenous in the same district of South 
Africa, but differs in the much larger flower, colour, and 
notched perianth segments. The original plants that have 
hitherto flowered are, we are given to understand, made over 
to be hybridized, so that in all probability the pure race will 
soon be lost to cultivators. : 
Considerably upwards of one hundred species of Gladiolus 
have been cultivated in Europe, indeed upwards of one hundred 
and ten reputed species have been figured from living spect 
mens: the greater proportion of these are no doubt lost 
to cultivation, and prob bly no horticultural establishment 
boasts more than a fraction of them: the genus belongs to 
that immense class of South African and other plants which 
were the favourites of our forefathers, were suite 
atmosphere of their plant-houses heated by currents of dry air, 
and the cultivation of which ‘5 not understood by the gene- 
DECEMBER Ist, 1869. 
