8 1rRIDEX (Baker). 
anthers 2-celled, dehiscing longitudinally extrorsely, or down the 
margin, Ovary inferior, almost invariably 3-celled; ovules axile, 
anatropal, usually many in a cell, and superposed ; style filiform ; 
branches 3, variously stigmatose, filiform, cuneate, or petaloid, some- 
times bifid. Fruit a 8-celled capsule with loculicidal dehiscence. 
Seeds globose, angled or discoid ; testa thin, membranous ; albumen 
horny, with the minute embryo enclosed in it near the hilum. - 
Perennial herbs, very rarely annual herbs or undershrubs, Leaves narrow, 
sessile, dry, usually firm in texture and persistent, often equitant and distichous, 
Flowers very various in colour, either comparatively persistent, each sessile in a 
2-valved spathe and arranged in simple or panicled spikes, or fugitive, stalked 
and clustered in muny-valved spathes from which they successively emerge, 
Distris, About half the kuown species are corcentrated at the Cupe; the 
© bers are spriad wide'y through beth hemispheres, mainly in temperate regions. 
Sab-Order 1, Monmex, Inflorescence corymbose; flowers comparatively fugi- 
tive, generally more thun one to a spathe, Stamens opposite the style-branches 
and adpressed to them, 
I, Morma,— Style-branches large and petaloid, transversely stigmatose at the 
buse of the large crests. 
II, Bomeria,—Style-branches petaloid, with two small divergent crests, papillose 
round their edges. 
Ill, Ferrari: —Sty/e-branches small, petaloid, bifid, densely ciliated on the edge. 
1V, Hexaglottis.—tyle-branches not petaloid, deeply forked. 
Sub-Order 2, Sisyrincnigz. Inflorescence corymbose. Stamens alternate 
with the style-branches, 
Tribe 1. GALAXIEZ, Spathes 1-flowered. 
V. Galaxia.—Spaches sessile in the centre of the rosette of leaves, Stamens 
monadelphous, Stigma peltate, 
VI, Syringodea,— Spathes sessile in the centre of the rosette of leaves, Stamens 
free. Style with three clavate branches, 
VII, Romulea.—Spathes peduncled. 
Tribe 2. ARISTEH, Spathes usually more than 1-flowered. 
VIII. Bobartia.— Style-Lranches long, subulate, 
IX. *eSiasatabedaatinlgitacie short. Perianth lobes equal, shorter than the 
tube, 
X. Cleanthe,— Style-branches short. Perianth lobes unequul, 
XI, Aristea.—Sty/e-branches short, Perianth lobes subequal, longer than the 
tube, not unguiculate, 
XII, Klattia.—Style-branches short. Perianth lobes subequal, longer than the 
tube, unguiculate, 
Sub-Order 3, Ix1Em. Inflorescence spicate ; flowers not fugitive, solitary, each 
subtended by a pair of spathe-valves, 
* Style-branches simple, Flowers regular. Stamens equilateral. 
XIII, Schizostylis.—Like Heaperantha, but rootstock not thickened into a corm. 
XIV. Hesperantha.—Style short ; branches long, subulate. Spathe-vaives green. 
XV. Geissorbiza,—Style longer than in the last; branches short, subulate. 
sige Petipa all green or membranous at the tip, 
XVI. Ixia.— Style long; branches short, subulate. Outer spathe-valve short, 
brown, emarginate, 
XVII, Streptanthera.—Style long ; branches short, clavate. Spathe-valves both 
membranous, lacerated. Leaves short, 
XVIII. Dierama.—Style long; bianches short, clavate, Spathe-valves both 
membranous, entire. Leaves long, rigid. - 
