XLiv. DTiosERACEJE. ^ ' IDroserff- 



1 



fercnccs are by no means constant, and the two forms occur sometimes on tlie same spe- 



* 



cixnen. 



V 



Sect. II. Ergaleium, DO.-Stock short, slender, stem-like, naked or 

 witli ra-ged remains of old petioles, foi-ming usually, if not always, a bulb at 

 tlie lower end, and producing at the upper end a rosette of leaves and leat; 

 less scapes, or leafy stems or branches. Stipules none, or, m V. Banksii, 

 ■ small and evanescent. Styles dichotomous or divided into very numerous 

 filiform branches, forming a dense tuft. 



Nearlv all the species of this section dye the paper in which they arc preserved a rich car- 

 mine or purple colour. When growing, they are said to disappear entirely f '^J * /fj; 

 • in.' is over, but I find no observation of how much of the underground stock beside the 

 bulb persists till the next season, nor do the specimens show what relation tj>e new shoot has 

 . had to the old bulb. It is, indeed, not often that collectors have gathered their specimens 

 with the bulb. 



17 ? D. zonaria, PJancJi. in Ann. Sc. Nat. ser. 3, ix. 303. Only known 

 from two barren rosettes, about 2 in. diameter. Leaves of a light gieen 

 colour, broadly orbicular or almost reuiform or fan-shaped, above ^ m. bioaa, 

 shortly cuneate at tlie base, on a petiole usually longer than the lanuna, tne 

 margin elegantly fringed by the glandular cilia of the genus, the vein, 

 scarcely conspicuous. 



W. Australia, Drummond. Possibly a barren state of B. rosulata. 



18. D. biabosa, llooi: Ic. PI. t 375. Bulbous. Leaves at the end of 

 the slender stock rosulate or apparently verticiUate, oblong, slightly spatuinaie, 

 narrowed at the base but not distinctly petiolate, 3 to 4 lines or rarely a n^ 

 long, rather thick, with 1 broad nerve. Peduncles or scapes I'^^^^^p', ' ^ 

 or numerous, twice as longr as the leaves, glabrous or nearly so. /'^P^^Y"., , 

 2 lines long. Petals twice as long, apparently white. Styles deeply amu 

 into numerous filiform branches, slightly dilated and stigmatic at the ena. 



W. Australia. Swan River, Drummond, 1st Coll. ; INIurchison river, Old/leld. 



19. D. rosulata, Le7m. Pugill. viii. 36, and PL Pre'm. \. 251. Bul- 

 bous. Leaves at the end of the slender rootstock rosulate, obovate tape ^ 

 at the base, rarely above 1 in. long including the short broad P^^^"^*^' "j j j^g', 

 broad central nerve and a few lateral veins diverging from it above the i ^^^ 

 Peduncles or scapes 1-flowered, slender, often filiform, rarely e^^^^j^'^J j„ 

 leaves. Sepals scarcely above 2 lines long at the time of flowering, loi „ ^^_ 

 fruit. Petals white. Anthers ovate. Styles 3, divided to the bas^" ^^^^j^ 

 merous filifoi-m branches, slightly dilated and stigmatic at the end. 



in Ann. Sc. Nat. ser. 3, ix. 301. . -„ g^a 



■W. AustraUa. Sandy bog?v places near Perth, Freiss, n. 1983 ; ^^^"I"?/ p^„. 

 Cape Lcschenault, Oldficld ; Vasse river, Mrs. MoUoy ; King George s bouna, ^ 



Ann. Sc. NaL ser. 3, ix. 302. 



20. D. Wliittakerii, Planch, in Ann. ac i\ai. ser. o, .-• y ^^^^^^ 

 bous, with rosulate leaves at the end of the stock, as in P. ^'^^"^'^"^^^ Se- 

 this species closely resembles, the leaves of the same size, D"\sUo o-^.^^^ 

 sides the midrib, 2 or 3 lateral nerves on each side, distinct in tii ^^^ ^^^^ 

 and diverging in the lamina. Scapes 1 -flowered, not much longer '^^^^ ^ 

 leaves. Sepals at least 3 lines long at the time of flowering ana _ ^.^^ 

 lines in fruit, more acute than in D. rosulata. Petals white, nan ' 



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