Contributions to the Flora of South Africa. 351 



IRIDEAE. 



WATSONIA, Mill. 



W. Muirii, Phillips, sp. nov. Cornius globosus, 1*5-2 cm. longus. 

 Folia 4, 7-18 cm. longa, "6-1 cm. lata, linearia, apice acuta, basi 

 angustata, pluri-nervigera, uuicostata, glabi*a. Pedunculus 14-25 cm. 

 longus, teres, glaber. Bracteae 17—2 cm. lougae. Tubus perianthii 

 l - 7 cm. longus, 5-6 mm. latus, supra paullo angustatus, infra 

 cylindratus ; lobi 1*5 cm. longi ; interiores 9 mm. lati, apice obtusi ; 

 exteriores angustiores, apice acuti. Filamenta 1*3 cm. longa, glabra ; 

 antherae 7 mm. longae, linearis, basi sagittatae. Ovarium 3 mm. 

 longum, eylindricum, glabrum ; stylus 21 cm. longus, glabei\ lobi 

 2 mm. longi, bifidi. 



South-Western Region : French Hoek. Sandy ground in field 

 near Kriel's Farm, c. 850 ft., October. Flowers pink. Phillij's, 1324, 

 Phillips in Herb. Musei Austro-Afric. 8524. Riversdale Div. near 

 Albertina, Muir. 



Corm globose, 1*5—2 cm. long, covered with coarse matted 

 fibres. Prod need leaves usually 4, 7-18 cm. long, *6-l cm. broad, 

 linear, acute, narrowed at the base, many nerved, with a pro- 

 minent midrib, glabrous. Exposed portion of the peduncle 14-25 cm. 

 long, terete, glabrous, bearing one or two short clasping leaves. 

 Spathe-valves 1*7—2 cm. long, half as long as the exposed portion of 

 the perianth. Perianth tube 1'7 cm. long, 5-6 mm. in diameter at the 

 throat, gradually narrowing downwards in the upper half, becoming 

 cylindric in the lower half ; lobes 15 cm. long ; the inner 9 mm. broad, 

 obtuse ; the outer slightly narrowed and acute. Stamens inserted at 

 the widened portion of the perianth tube; filaments 1*3 cm. long, 

 semiterete, glabrous ; anthers 7 mm. long, linear, sagittate at the base, 

 basi-fixed. Ovary 3 mm long, cylindric, glabrous ; style 2*1 cm. long, 

 filiform-terete, glabrous; style-branches 2 mm. long, 2-lobed. 



The flowers are of a light brick- red colour ; the filaments have a 

 slightly reddish tinge ; anthers yellow ; style branches reddish. Near 

 W. brevifolia, Ker., from which it differs in having a smaller corm 

 and the exposed portion of the flower being at least twice as long as 

 the spathe-valves. 



Named in compliment to Dr. J. Muir, of Albertina, Rivei'sdale. 



