170 HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA, Tucca. 



broad. Petioles shorter than the leaves, sheathing at the 

 base, and above that having a groove down the inside, the 

 whole considerably rough,with small visible sharp points. 

 Scapes axillary, solitary, about as long as the petioles, 

 and rough like them, cylindric, direction from erect to di- 

 verging, and often variously bent. Involucre four-leaved, 

 besides many filiform filaments,which are mixed amongst 

 the pedicels. Exterior two leaves of the involucre 

 stem-clasping, reflexed, broad ovate-lanceolate, finely 

 acuminate, many-nerved, two or three inches long, and one 

 and a half broad. The interior pair much longer, broad- 

 petioled, ascending in the form of a vault over the flowers, 

 oval-ventricose, many-nerved, smooth and coloured ; 

 length, petioles included, about five inches, and three 

 broad. Flowers from four to eight, long-pedicelled, large, 

 at first nearly erect, but on the second day of expansioa 

 drooping, colour, a mixture of greenish purple and yellow ; 

 about the same number of very long, filiform, smooth 

 pendulous bodies are found interspersed among the pedi- 

 cels. Calyx superior, one-leaved ; base bowl-shaped ; 

 border consisting of six large coloured segments ; exterior 

 three, rather narrow, more pointed, and less deaply co- 

 loured ; inner three, oblong, obtuse, or emarginate, soon 

 after expansion becoming completely reflex. Corol no 

 other than the segments of the border of the calyx, which 

 very much resembles one. Filaments (petals of Forster) 

 six, inserted about the middle of the tube of the calyx, 

 resembling little conic vaults. Anthers on the inside 

 of the exterior wall of the vaults. Germ inferior, clavate, 

 six-ribbed, one-celled, containing numerous ovula, at- 

 tached to three bifid, parietal receptacles. Style short. 

 Stigma three-lobed; lobes large, coloured, emarginate 

 on the exterior edge. Berry oblong, fleshy, an inch and 

 a half long, and one broad, six sharp-ribbed, crowned 

 with three semilunar marks, the remains of part of the 

 calyx, one -celled. Seeds numerous, attached to three 



