Classification of Plants 255 



Series III. — Fruit a capsule. Anthers opening outward. (Extrorse.) 

 A. Rootstock a bulb or corm. Perianth segments narrowed into 

 a distinct claw. Capsule dehiscing 

 septicidally. 



Wurmbea. — Flowers spicate. Peri- 

 anth segments joined at the base. 



Androcymbium. — Flowers in a 

 head, overtopped by bracts; stem 

 short; perianth lobes separate. 

 AA. Rootstock not bulbous. Capsule dehis- 

 cing loculicidally. 



Gloriosa.— Stem climbing by leaf Fig. 231 -Floral dia- 

 „ . . f , J gram of ^/o^. (From 



tips. Perianth segments clawed, Idmonds and Mar- 



free spreading. loth's " Elementary 



Sandersonia. — Stem erect. Peri- Botany for South 



anth tubular with short free tips. Africa' .) 



Flowers solitary, hanging on slender pedicels from the 

 axils of a few of the upper leaves. 



Littonia. — Stem climbing by leaf tips. 



Walleria. — Anthers opening by terminal pores. 



Smilax. — Flowers dioecious, small, greenish, borne in 

 umbels. Staminate flowers with 6 slender filaments and 

 erect anthers. Pistillate flowers with 6 thread-like staminodia. 

 Berry round, often only i- or 2-seeded. 



A climbing shrub, supported by stipules, which are rarely found in 

 monocotyledons. The many-ribbed stem is often armed with prickles, 

 which help the stipules to support the plant. Leaves oval, glossy, net- 

 veined. In woods, usually on mountains. 



Kalahari region : Transvaal, around Barberton. Eastern region : 

 near Durban, Port Natal, Inanda. South Western region : about George 

 and Bedford. 



Asparagus. — Flowers perfect; stamens with versatile 

 anthers. Berry round, seeds often solitary. Stem woody, 

 erect or climbing, or spreading by means of spines produced 

 from the base of papery scale-like leaves. Clusters of small 

 green branches {Cladodid) take the place of foliage leaves. 

 In some species a single flattened branch {Phylloclade) is 

 borne in the axil of a leaf. These species are often called 

 "Smilax". The thorny species are known as "Wacht een 

 bietje ". 



Forty-four species of this large genus are found in South Africa. 

 They do not favour one locality, but are found in all the five botanical 

 regions. 



