lULMII.S ON Till-: SrHTKKKANKAN OUCANS ol" I'LANTS. 411 



Uomcna colliiia and H. anranfiaca in similar localities are 

 vvitliout bulbils, and b-ear seeds well. 



Monca ramusa. — Numerous small bulbils on tbe oorni. and 

 a few large ones at tbe nodes of tbe stem. 



Hcspcrantha hulhifcra. — " Lea\es 4. grass-like, linear, above 

 a foot long, furnisbed witb bul])ill;e in tiie axils."'* Tbe plants 

 had been eollected In- I'. AlacOwan on tbe Boscbberg, near 

 Somerset East. 



Mclasplucnila (/raiiiiiica. — A fre(|ucnt spring flower among, 

 shrubs near Capett)wn ( Dutch name " baardmannetje "). In some 

 localities always witb a few large l)ulbils ( cormlets ) along tbe 

 stem ( Plate 11, i ) . 



Micranthiis plantagincus. — Mostly witb a few larger bulljils 

 on tbe lower nodes. Flowers all fertile. 



MicniiifliKS fistnlostis. — No bubils, neither on the corm nor 

 in the empty bracts of tbe spike (the lower |x)rtion of the 

 distichous spike is always formed of bracts without flowers, 

 20 to 30 on each side ) . 



There is a plant named by Baker, M. plantayiiiciis. var. 

 junccHS^, which bears bulbils in the otherwise empty 

 bracts of M. fisfiilosits. This plant is, however, in our 

 opinion, not a variety of M. plantagiiieiis, but a hybrid of 

 the two species (tbe only two), and its name is consequently 

 to be M. plantayincus X fistulosus (PI. 11, 2). 



The following statement will show the intermediate nature 

 of this plant : — 



Micranthiis plaiitagiiieits. — A few bulbils at the lower nodes. 

 Lowest leaf ( radical ) lanceolate, acuminate, prominent midrib 

 and thickened margin, the two cauline leaves shorter, also 

 lanceolate, acuminate, strongly ribbed. Spike long, all bracts 

 floriferous, the flowers dark blue; all flowers fertile. 



M. fistulosus. — No bulbils. Lowest leaf (radical) fistulose, 

 with a blunt but mucronate apex, the walls of the hollow leaf 

 membranaceous, often browai at flowering time, the two upper 

 leaves flstulose, acute, much shorter. Flowering portion of 

 ispike short, the lower bracts (30 to 50) empty; flowers pale 

 blue, all fertile. 



M. plantagineits X fistulosus. — No bulbils on lower part of 

 stem. Lowest leaf (radical) terete, wiry, very elongate, hollow, 

 striate like those of M. plantagineus, the two upper leaves shorter, 

 otherwise similar. Inflorescence a simple s])ike or branched, the 

 upper part flower-bearing, the lower ])art without flowers, but 

 in each bract two or more bulbils; some bulbils also in the axils 

 of the floriferous bracts. No seeds formed. 



Summary. 



Frc-m the foregoing observations it is obvious that there 

 is a considerable number of bulbilliferous plants in tbe flora of 



* Baker in ' Flora Cap.," (6, 65.) 

 t " Flora Capensis," (6, 97). 



