Classification of Plants 25^ 



Aloes are more numerous in the East, but A. riipestns, Baker, is found 

 as far west as Port Nolloth. Aloes form a characteristic feature of the 

 scenery in the Grahamstown region. They grow over the sun-burned hills, 

 and cling along low broken sandstone ledges. Some have thick stems, 

 shaggy below, with blackened remains of leaves, crowned with a bunch of 

 spear-like leaves, above which rises a majestic stalk of flaming red or 

 yellow flowers. A. arborescens, Mall., grows to a height of 15 feet. A. 

 minima, Baker, which grows in grass, has a spike only 6 or g inches high, 

 rising from a rosette of leaves. 



The so-called American Aloe (Agave) belongs to the order Amarylli- 

 daceae. It is native of Central America. In the dry climate of that 

 country it has acquired similar habits of growth to the Aloes. 



Agapanthus. — The large umbels of bright blue flowers 



(or rarely white) are subtended by two broad papery bracts, 



which fall early. Rootstock tuberous, with fleshy fibres. 

 Leaves radical, fleshy, 6-8 scape ; 3-4 feet long. 



Found in the Coast, Central, Kalahari, and Eastern regions. A 

 handsome plant, frequently cultivated. 



Bulbinella. — Perianth lobes i-nerved^ remaining on after 

 withering. Ovules 2 in a cell ; seeds sometimes solitary. 

 Leaves all radical ; scape usually unbranched. Flower-stalks 

 with a joint at the apex. Root of fleshy fibres. Chiefly 

 Western. 



Bulbine. — The bright yellow flowers may be known from 

 Bulbinella by the pretty feathery stamens and numerous ovules. 

 Some species have transparent leaf tips. White flowers also 

 occur. 



Stem sometimes branched and leafy. 



A widely distributed genus, from near the sea-level to an altitude of 

 4000 feet. 



Bowiea. — A peculiar plant with a large green tuber- like 

 bulb on the surface of the soil. A slender wavy stem has many 

 pinnate branches bearing slender Asparagus-like branchlets, 

 which are subtended by scale leaves. Flowers small, i- to ^ inch 

 in diameter, borne from the main stem on long slender curved 

 pedicels. One species, B. volubilis, Harv. 



Found in the Eastern and Kalahari regions. 



Albuca. — Outer perianth lobes spreading, inner shorter, 

 having a hood-shaped process at the tip, and furnished with a 



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