2/0 Plants and their Ways in South Africa 



with a green centre. /. maculata, L., has orange or yellow flowers with a 

 dark purple-black centre. Several species are found in the Transvaal 

 and Natal. 



Watsonia. — Perianth tube long, curved, widened towards 

 the upper half. Flowers more or less regular. The stamen 

 in front of the flower is bent backward in line with the other two, 

 which are twisted halfway around on their filaments, so that all 

 are placed in position to shed their pollen on the bees' 

 hairy backs. ^ The flowers often live in moist places. Water 

 is necessary for making the honey, which sometimes half fills 

 the long tube. 



Rootstock a corm. Leaves ensiform (sword-shaped with their edge 

 toward the stem). Flowers bright red, rose-pink, or white. 



Babiana. — Flowers usually regular, frequently violet, some- 

 times milk-white or sulphur-yellow. B. ringens, Ker, is very 

 irregular and bright red. B.plicata^ Ker, has a delicate daytime 

 odour. The genus may be known by its plaited hairy leaves, 

 which are often on petioles. 



Tritonia. — Flowers nearly regular, varying in colour, bright 

 red or yellow, white, pale pink or green. Three lower lobes, 

 sometimes marked with deep splashes of colour, sometimes 

 furnished with conspicuous projections. Leaves few or in a 

 fan-shaped rosette. Both Western and Eastern. 



Gladiolus. — A great variety of colours is found in the 

 flowers. Perianth tube curved, limb irregular, lobes often 

 narrowed into a claw, the three lower often vividly marked. 

 Seeds flattened, winged, numerous. 



"Painted Ladies" and " Kalkoentjes " belong here. Eighty-one 

 species of this large genus are found in South Africa. 



Six species are known as " Painted Ladies ". Of these the Christmas 

 Painted Lady, G. tabnlaris, Ker, with white perianth tinged with pink, 

 and leaves sheathing nearly their whole length, is confined to Table Moun- 

 tain. G. debilis, Ker, has a very slender stem sheathed with three leaves 

 with long slender points. Its flowers are lilac or claret-coloured. It ex- 

 tends from the Peninsula up to the Caledon and Worcester Divisions. 

 G. aispidatus, Jacq., may be known by the wavy points and the spade- 

 shaped purple blotch on the three lower perianth segments. 



^ This position of the stamens is assumed by the zygomorphic genera 

 of the Order. 



