Classification of Plants 197 



A.fruticosa and A, corymbosa have tall shrubby stems rough 

 below with the scars of fallen leaves. 



Hesperantha (" Avond-bloemetjes "). — Perianth with a 

 tube and regular limb. Stamens borne on the throat of the 

 tube. Style as long as the tube, with three long, slender, 

 curved branches. Flowers white or yellow. The sepals 

 frequently red outside. Delightfully scented at evening when 

 their insect guests are abroad. 



Ixia. — Perianth tube long and slender, with a regular 

 spreading limb. Stamens borne on the throat. Style longer 

 than the perianth tube, with three short, spreading, recurved 

 branches. 



Flowers in simple or panicled spikes of beautiful and varied colours. 

 The Ixias are abundant in the west. /. viridijlora has a pale green perianth 

 with a purplish black throat. One variety of this species has a pale lilac 

 flower with a black centre ; another has a pale blue perianth with a green 

 centre. /. maculata 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 toward 

 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 bee's 

 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, 

 sometimes milk-white or sulphur-yellow. B. ringens is very 

 irregular and bright red. B. plicata 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, 



