species now figured, is the only member of the genus in 
South America. Though this Species was originally 
described many years ago, it does not appear to have 
been introduced to cultivation until 1876, when it 
flowered in the collection of Mr. Tyerman. The material 
for our plate was supplied by Mr. H. J. Elwes, with whom 
it flowered at Colesborne, Cheltenham, in 1916. Mr. 
Elwes informs us that the record of the original source 
of his plant has been lost. In his collection it grows 
well in a cold greenhouse, and sets seeds freely. 
Description.—Herb, perennial; rootstock short, oblique, woody. Leaves 
linear, 15 in. long, about } in. wide, equitant, grassy, margins closely and finely 
serrate. Peduncle rigid, green, over 1} ft. high; primary bracts herbaceous, 
with membranous, pubescent margins, lanceolate, acuminate, 1 in. long, 
sharply keeled, ciliate on the keel; flowers fascicled in the bract-axils; 
Secondary bracts ovate-lanceolate, % in. long, less sharply keeled und less 
ciliate than the primary ones; bracteoles 2, ovate-lanceolate, rather obtuse, 
herbaceous with broad membranous margins; pedicels 1-2 in. long. Perianth 
lavender-blue; segments almost equal, 3 in. long, 2 in. wide, spreading, 
obovate, the outer shortly cuspidate, the inner blunt at the tip, suddenly con- 
tracted at the base. Filaments free, subulate, 1 in. long; anthers lanceolate, 
yellow, 3 in. long. Style-arms subulate, purple, } in. long. Ovary cylindric, 
part green, over} in. long. Fruit oblong, 8-sulcate, 3 in. long, i in. wide, 
rown. 
Tas. 8781.—Fig. 1, flower, with perianth removed; 2 and 8, anthers; 
4, style-arms ; 5, fruit; 6, seeds; 7, sketch of an entire plant:—all enlarged 
except 5, which is of natural size, and 7, which is much reduced. 
