inches long by one-half to three-quarters inch in diameter, 
forming hard, almost incompressible masses from the rigidity 
of the close-set spreading leaves. Leaves one quarter to 
one-third inch long, closely imbricate, spreading, obovate, 
obtuse, apiculate, shining, concave above, obscurely keeled 
beneath, margin white and membranous, sometimes erose 
towards the base, with a few distant impressed points 
that are very obscure in a living state, shining on both 
surfaces.  Flowering-stems one inch to three inches high, 
strict, erect, stout, with many reniform spathulate erecto-patent 
cauline leaves, which are tinged red, and clothed at the 
margin and back with glandular hairs, as on the stem and 
inflorescence. Flowers cymose, few, erect, shortly pedicelled, 
one-quarter to one-third inch in diameter.  Calyz-tube 
turbinate or obconic, adnate to the ovary ; lobes erect, tri- 
angular, acute. Pefals yellow, a little longer than the calyx 
in the Kew specimens, twice as long in wild ones, spathulate. 
Stamens imperfect in the Kew specimen, exserted in the 
native ones. Stigmas capitate in the cultivated specimens, 
sessile on the two conical tops of the ovary, terminating 
slender styles in the wild ones.—J. D. H. 
Fig. 1, Leaf of a rosette ; 2, do. of a flowering stem; 3, flower; 4, ovary 
and stamen :—all magnified. 
