DISPERIS. 177 
Cape endogens from similar situations (including Disa grandiflora), it 
throws out subterraneous fleshy runners, that form buds at a distance 
from the parent tuber, thus increasing after the manner of couch 
grass, although not so rapidly.” I have never seen it in abundance 
but once, during a very wet season (in 1884), when on Nov. 29 it was 
srowing in water near the Disa stream on Table Mountain above 
Klassenbosch. In drier seasons only a few scattered weakly plants 
are to be found. Harvey says it had been sent by Mr. Hutton from 
the eastern districts. This is probably a mistake. There are one or 
two species from that region which resemble it externally (such as D. 
oxyglossa, &c.), and it is not easy to determine their differences from 
dried specimens. If D. paludosa extend to the eastern districts, it is 
most probable that we should have had it from some of the many 
collectors during the last forty-five years. 
PuatE 19.—Figs. 1, 2, flowers, front and side views, x 2 diameters; 3, column, 
side, 4 front, 5 back view; 6, pollinium; 7, petal; 8, odd sepal,—all the latter 
variously magnified. 
8. Disperis cucullata, Swartz, in Kongl. Vetensk. Acad. Handl., 
vol. xxi. (1800), p. 220.—Erect, 8-6 in. high; stem somewhat stout, 
flexuous, shortly pubescent, distantly 2-leaved; lower leaf ovate, 
upper narrower, acute, sheathing at base, 3-nerved below, pubescent 
on the nerves and ciliate, glabrous above, 4-1 in. long; flower 
solitary, very rarely 2-flowered, bracts ovate, leaf-like, usually shorter, 
sometimes longer than the flower; odd sepal galeate, conical, acute, 
the high ascending sac or summit rounded and laterally compressed, 
about 6 lines long, the cohering petals narrow-falecate, acuminate ; 
side sepals ascending, lanceolate, acuminate, about 7 lines long, 
furnished about the middle with a sharply conical sac, 2 lines deep ; 
lip ascending from a narrow claw, cruciform in the middle, with two 
short arms, thence dilated and somewhat goblet-shaped, the rim 
higher and acute in front, reflexed on the sides, and produced behind 
into a long, linear, straight piece, pubescent at the apex; arms of the 
rostellum distant, spreading, deflexed; pollinium long, granules 
numerous. Ker, in Journ. Sci. R. Inst., vol. vi. (1819), t.i.,f. 4. 
Has. South-western slopes of the Lion’s Mountain, near Sea Point, 200 ft. ; 
fl. Sept., Bolus, 4887; on the Steenberg, 800 ft. ; fl. Sept.—Extends to Stellenbosch 
(Herb. Norm. Austr.-Afr., 338), and Paarl: Zeyher, 3938, as to part. 
Flowers green. A very distinct species, having little resemblance 
to any other on the Peninsula. So far as I know, it occurs only 
sparingly within our limits. 
4. Disperis secunda, Swartz, in Kongl. Vetensk. Acad. Handl., 
vol. xxi. (1800), p. 220.—Glabrous, erect, 3-8 in. high; leaves mostly 
2, erect, linear, acute, sheathing at base, 2-4 in. long; raceme sub- 
