FLORA OF CENTRAL MADAGASCAR. 269 



ribs down the centre. Stamens as long as the perianth ; anthers 

 minute, ovate, reddish yellow. Style finally exserted ^-^ in. from 

 the perianth. — Neman's land, between Imerina and Betsileo, 

 Baron 339 ! This is probably the species from Central Madagascar 

 named as above by Bojer; but, as he gives no description, this 

 cannot be verified unless a specimen has been preserved somewhere. 

 It is well-marked by its polyphyllous perianth and strictly spicate 

 inflorescence, and I hope the resident botanists will soon send us 

 full information about its leaves and habit. There is a second 

 Madagascar species, A. leptocaulon, Bojer, Hort. Maur. 345 (name 

 only), which has never been described, and of which we have no 

 specimens : this covers the summits of the mountains on the banks 

 of the Kiver Omlahi, which flows into the bay of St. Augustin. 

 Judging from Bojer's note on its habit, its alliance is with 

 A. temiior and A. ciliaris of the Cape. 



Anthericum i Phalanr/ium) teipedale, n. sp. — Leaves in a dense 

 basal rosette, linear, 1^2 ft. long, ^ in. broad, tapering to the 

 point, firm in texture, with a distinct midrib, and numerous close 

 distinct much-raised scabrous ribs. Peduncle terete, as long as 

 the leaves, with only 1-2 empty bracts, the lower foliaceous. 

 Flowers 30-40 in a lax raceme above a foot long ; pedicels erecto- 

 patent, geminate, ^-^ in. long, articulated at the middle ; bracts 

 deltoid, reddish, membranous, the upper ^, the lower ^ in. long. 

 Perianth white, ^-^ in. long, the oblong-lanceolate divisions with 

 5-6 distinct ribs in the centre. Stamens rather shorter than the 

 perianth-segments ; anthers lanceolate, ^ in. long ; filaments 

 linear, shorter than the anthers, not muricated. Capsule with 3 

 oblong rugose glabrous valves, -J in. long ; seeds many in each cell, 

 superposed. — Hillsides in West Betsileo, flowering in December 

 and January, Baron 74 ! Habit of A. trifloriim, Ait., of the Cape, 

 with very different stamens. 



Anthericum Parkeri, n. sp. — Boot a dense tuft of fleshy cylin- 

 drical fibres, with several dry scariose linear leaves at the crown. 

 Produced leaves 5-6, linear, 1^ in. broad, tapering to the point, 

 green, glabrous, firm in texture, with close distinct ribs. Peduncle 

 very short. Flowers in a lax simple raceme, finally 2-3 in. long, 

 and reaching to the top of the leaves ; bracts small, lanceolate or 

 deltoid; pedicels geminate, finally ^-^ in. long, articulated below 

 the middle. Perianth l-12th in. long ; segments oblong-lanceolate, 

 the central third of the 3 outer greenish, with 3 indistinct ribs, 

 not contorted after flowering. Stamens included ; filaments linear, 

 glabrous, twice as long as the minute subglobose anthers. Capsule 

 depresso-globose, ^ in. diam., deeply 3-lobed, with 2 turgid black 

 seeds in each cell. — Central Madagascar, Dr. Parkeri Native 

 name Ahitrakondro. A doubtful member of the subgenus 6'^?'^;;- 

 ta7ithera, of which it has the geminate ovules, but not the linear- 

 oblong perianth-segments, which, as in CW.sia, twist up spirally 

 after fertilisation. 



Asjiaragus simulans, Baker. — Very common in forests through- 

 out Betsileo and Imerina, Baron 220 ! 



Dioscorea Ovinala, n. sp. — A climber, with an edible tuber and 



