(s) merianellus ; corolla ea prsscedentis graciliore ; unguibns 

 in faucem cylindrico-produ&am conferventibus ; inde laminis 

 curtatis. G. 



GLADIOLUS hirfulus. (y) temtiflorus, nobis he. cit. uli -pri- 

 viora ijlius fynonyma querenda. G. 



Obs. Jam tandem omifimus plurcs minus memorabiles varietates, ut et 

 flatus, ipfas quoque ludentes. Noluimus, cum Jacquino, in tanto totius adeo 

 peculiaris habitus confenfu, earum quatnpiam de aliis fejungere in fpeciem ; 

 parvi facientes (faiva part turn proportione) molis odoris vel pracocitatis dif- 

 ferent ias t ni if as aliqua fpeeialior comitaretur ratio aliter jubens. G. 



This fmall flowered variety bloflbms as early as January. 

 Jacquin makes it a diftintl fpecies from the hirfutiis of our 

 No. 574 ; he had overlooked its pubefcence, which when 

 not i'earched for, by holding the plant againtt the light, is not 

 eafily perceived ; but is fo far material as it ferves to confirm 

 that clofe relation to the other varieties fo ftrongly marked 

 in all its other parts. 



Bulb-tuber round, comprefled, covered with fmooth fibro- 

 coriaceous, rind-like, brown integuments. Stem 1 — 2 feet 

 high, round, jointed, upright, apparently naked, but clofely 

 enveloped, for more than half its height, by fmooth, clofe- 

 fitting, fheath-like leaves, ending in remote, fliort, acute points, 

 the upper one being often extended for a fliort diftance beyond 

 the (heath ; flerile bulbs produce from out a longim, com- 

 prefled, coloured root-iheath a fingle, narrow, linear, acu- 

 minate, upright, ftiffifli, pubefcent leaf, generally fomewhat 

 twilled and three-nerved. Both valves of the fpathes quite 

 entire, about equal with the faux. Limb of the corolla cy- 

 hndro-campanulate, fubringent, nodding ; fegments twice 

 longer than the tubular part ; upper one broadeft, obovate- 

 lanceolate, concave, enclofed between its lateral ones ; thefe 

 narrower and more acute ; lower ones narroweft, conniving 

 into a propendent nether lip ; the middle fegment is over- 

 fpread by the lides of the other two, than which it is rather 

 wider, and from which it is not fo deeply divided as thefe from 

 the reft ; the under fide of the faux is trijugofe or ftreaked 

 with three prominent ridges formed of the rachides of the 

 lower concrete portion of the fegments. Organs of fabri- 

 cation fhorter than corolla. Anthers dark-coloured, 3—4 

 times longer than the filaments. 



The drawing was made from a plant received from the Cape 

 by Meflrs. Giumwood and Wyres of Kenfington. G. 



