out the greater part of its length itis closely in- 
vested with: the sheathing bases of the leaves. 
The lower. leaves are large; from half a foot to.a 
foot long, oval, acuminate, pubescent, strongly 
plaited and nerved ; the lower part of their edges 
meeting round the stem. The upper leaves be- 
come gradually narrower and the uppermost, 
which perform the office of bractes, -are  linear- 
lanceolate. The flowers are numerous and dis- 
tributed in compound racemes. axillary from the 
upper leaves, and terminal ; the whole forming a 
‘sort of panicle. Peduncles roundish, downy. 
Braetes boat-shaped, acuminate,downy, ‘The pe- 
dicel of each flower is many: times shorter than 
its bracte. Calyx none. ».Corollaidivided into six 
green, oval, acute, nerved segments, of which the 
alternate ones are longest. All the segments are 
contracted at base into a sort.of claw with a thick- 
ened or cartilaginous edge. Stamens six with 
recuryed filaments and roundish, two-lobed an- 
thers. Germs three, cohering, with acute recury- 
ed styles as long as the stamens. A part of the 
flowers are barren and have only the rudiments 
of styles, so that the plant is strictly polygamous. 
The seed vessel consists of three capsules united 
together, separating at top and — on tie 
inner side. Seeds flat imbricated. © te 
