Burmannia. hexandria monogynia. 117 



BURMANNIA. Schrcb. gen. n. 542. 

 Calyx gibbous, mouth six-toothed ; the alternate one 

 very small, (or they may be called petals.) Corol 

 none. Stamina in pairs. Capsule inferior, three-celled. 

 Seeds numerous. 



1. B. distkha. Willd, 2. 16. 



Leaves sword-shaped. Spike double. 



Burmannia spica gemina. Burm.zeyl. p. 50. t. 20. f. 1. 



It is a native of Ceylon. 



Root of numerous capillary fibres, annual. Leaves tslAI- 

 cal, sword-shaped. Scape erect, from twelve to twenty 

 inches high, round, pointed, with a sword-shaped sheath 

 at each joint. Spikes double, spreading in opposite di- 

 rections. Bractes lanceolate, one-flowered. Flowers e- 

 rect, subsessile on the upper side of the spikes, pale blue. 

 Calyx gibbous, one-leaved ; mouth six-parted, divisions 

 alternate, larger permanent, and keeled on the back. 

 Corol none, unless the three smaller divisions of the calyx 

 be so called. Filaments none. Anthers three, joined 

 to the sides of three large, ox-head-shaped glands, aflSx- 

 ed to the calyx just below the smaller divisions thereof. 

 Germ inferior, three-sided, three-winged, the wings a 

 continuation of those of the calyx. Style erect. Stigmas 

 three, large, emarginate. Capsule three-winged, three- 

 cornered, three-celled, three-valved. Seeds numerous. 



2. B. iriflora. /?. 



Floivers about three in a terminal head. Leaves ensi- 

 form. Found by Mr. W. Roxburgh on Prince of Wales' 

 Island. Root annual, consisting of a few small fibres. 

 Leaves, few round the base, those of the scape ensiform, 

 smooth. Scape filiform, erect, generally simple, invested 

 in a few remote leaflike scales ; height about six inches. 

 Floivers from two to four, terminal, short-pedicelled, large. 



