268 



Plants and their Ways in South Africa 



Like other flowers of this group, their beauty is fleeting, as they 

 wither quickly. 



Homeria, formerly called Morcea, has a much smaller pistil, 

 and the parts of the perianth are equal or nearly so. The flowers 

 are pale yellow or pink occurring with the leaves. 



H. collina, Vent., is the " Groot Tulp" which is poisonous to cattle. 

 Dr. Pappe writes of a whole family being killed by eating the little bulbs 



Fig. 241. — Morcea tripeiala, Ker. FiG. 242. — Gladiolus gracilis, Jacq. 



which are produced in great abundance in the bulbs and axils of the 

 leaves. Transport drivers use a decoction of the bark of the thorn tree 

 {Acacia horrida, Willd.) as an antidote. This plant covers large areas 

 in the western region. 



Romulea (" Frutang "). — Flowers reddish- purple, lilac, or 

 yellow. Leaves narrow, usually over-topping the flowers. 



Aristea is a widely distributed genus, with bright blue 

 flowers, which twist up in a spiral and become inky after flower- 

 ing. The inner bract is papery, brown or white, and often 

 deeply fringed. Rootstock of slender fibres or a rhizome, 

 never bulbous. Leaves in a dense two-sided rosette. A. 



