46 IRIDEZ (Baker), [Bobartia. 
Marica spathacea, Ker in Bot. Reg. sub. t. 229 ; Eckl. Top. Verz. 
15. Aristea spathacea, Spreng. Syst. Veg. i. 158. Sisyrinchtum 
spathaceum, Pers. Syn. i. 50, Xyris altissima, Lodd. Bot. Cab. t. 
1900. 
Coast Rearon : near Cape Town, Thunberg! Bolus, 3805 ! Simons Bay, 
Milne, 143! MacGillivray, 407! Near Rondebosch, Burchell, 224! Paarl 
Mountains, Drége! Swellendam Diy. ; between Sparbosch and Tradouw, Drége, 
8305a! Riversdale Div., Burchell, 6601! Mossel Bay Div., Burchell, 6170! 
Humansdorp Div., Burchell, 4811! Albany Div., Burchell, 3489! Cooper, 
1526! 
A form gathered by Villette has a rugose capsule. A plant sent to Herb. 
Kew, by Wallich, with fewer clusters in a head, spathes 14 in. long, and a larger 
turbinate capsule, is likely a distinct species. 
7. B. robusta (Baker, Handb. Irid. 120); habit of B. aphylla. 
but stem much more robust; main bract subulate, rigid, 4-6 in. 
long, much dilated at the base; clusters 10 or more, aggregated in a 
dense head ; spathes 1-14 in. long; perianth an inch long; stamens 
one third as long as the perianth ; ovary turbinate, 4 in. long; 
capsule turbinate, 4 in. long, the rigid valves very rugose on the back, 
Coast Recion: George Div., between Malgat River and Great Brak River, 
Burchell, 6124! 
8. B. anceps (Baker, Handb. Irid. 121); stems much flattened, 
13-2 ft, long, associated with 3-4 rigid, ensiform, closely-ribbed 
leaves ; outer bract rigid, linear, a little overtopping the cluster of 
flowers, clusters 6-10 to a head ; spathes an inch long, subtended by 
2-3 rigid, adpressed, laneeolate bracts at the base; perianth 3 in. 
long. jared ap 4 in. long; anthers 3 in. long, exceeding the 
filaments. 
Coast Reaton: Riversdale Div., between Little Vet River and Kampsche 
Berg, Burchell, 6913! 
IX. WITSENIA, Thunb. 
Perianth with a long tube gradually dilated upwards and six 
short ovate-lanceolate, connivent segments, the three outer pilose on 
the back. Stamens inserted at the throat of the perianth-tube; 
filaments short, flat; anthers small, lanceolate-sagittate. Ovary 
oblong, 3—celled, crowned with an annular gland at the base of the 
long filiform style, which is minutely tricuspidate at the stigmatose 
tip. Capsule small, turbinate, glabrous, hard in texture, loculicidally 
3—valved. Seeds few, angled. ; 
Distais. An endemic monotypic genus. 
1. W. maura (Thunb. Diss. Nov. Gen. ii. 34, eum icone) ; stems 
woody, 2-4 ft. long; branches woody, strongly ancipitous, densely 
leafy up to the top; leaves distichous, ensiform, acuminate, 
amplexicaul, firm in texture, ascending, 4 ft. long, closely ribbed ; 
flowers in one or several congested oblong terminal heads, formed of 
