SOLENOMELUS. 139 



ovules many, superposed ; style subulate, with three very short 

 spreaduig cusps. Capsule oblong-trigonous, loculicidally 8-valved. 

 ISeeds minute. — Habit of Sisijrinchinm. It differs from Solenomelus 

 only by having three short spreading cusps to the style. 



1. C. LUTEUM Phil, in Linnaea, xxxiii. 250. Solenomelus 

 ChamcEhun Baker. — Rhizome short-creeping ; root-fibres long and 

 wiry. Leaves firm, terete, pubescent, 2-3 in. long. Peduncle very 

 short, 1-headed. Spathe 1-1^ in. long; outer valves oblong- 

 lanceolate, green, with a scariose edge ; pedicel very short. Perianth 

 yellow, 1^-2 in. long ; segments oblong-lanceolate, as long as the 

 filiform tube. Anthers as long as the column of filaments. 



Hab. Chili ; Cordilleras of the province of Santiago, Philippi ! 



2. C. ANmNUM Benth. Gen. Plant, lii. 700. Sisi/rivchium frif/idum 

 Popp. S. andiniim Phil. Siisarium nndinum Phil. Solenomelus 

 andinus Baker. — Rhizome very short ; root-fibres long and wiry. 

 Produced basal leaf 1, linear, overtopping the stem. Stem 1-4 in. 

 long, subterete, bearing several heads in a terminal cluster, which 

 is subtended by two large rigid ovate or lanceolate bracts. Spathes 

 1-1^ in. long ; outer valves rigid; pedicels short. Perianth yellow; 

 segments oblong, ^-| in. long, longer than the tube. Anthers 

 longer than the column of filaments. 



Hab. Andes of Chili. 



35. Solenomelus Miers. 



Perianth with a subcylindrical tube, and equal spreading oblong 

 segments. Stamens inserted at the throat of the tube ; filaments 

 entirely connate ; anthers oblong, subsessile at the throat of the 

 column, erect. Ovary cylindrical, 3-celled ; ovules many, super- 

 posed ; style simple, subulate ; stigma capitate. Capsule oblong, 

 loculicidally 3-valved. Seeds minute. — Habit of Sisi/rinchium, from 

 which it differs by its perianth-tube and unbranched style. 



1. S. cmLENSis Miers in Trans. Linn. Soc. xix. 95, t. 8. Sisj/- 

 rinchium. pediinculattim Gillies in Bot. Mag. t. 2965. S. lomjistijlum 

 Lemaire in Flore des Serres, t. 255. Cruckshaiikia graminea Miers. 

 — Rhizome short. Leaves linear, grass-like, ^-1 ft. long. Stem 

 subterete, 1-1^ ft. long, bearing 1-3 long-pedunclcd clusters and 

 as many reduced leaves. Spathes veutricose, an inch long ; outer 

 valves oblong, green, with a white membranous edge ; pedicels very 

 short. Perianth yellow, an inch long ; segments oblanceolate- 

 oblong, as long as the slender tube. Anthers much shorter than 

 the pubescent column of filaments. Capsule oblong-trigonous, not 

 exserted from the spathe. 



Hab. Chili; about Valparaiso and Santiago. Native name, "Maisillo." 

 S. imnctatus Miers is a form with narrow leaves, and perianth-segments dotted 

 with red near the base. 



2. S. Lechleri Baker. Lechlera Sisi/rinr/iium Griseb. Si^y. 

 rinchium, Seyethi Philippi. — Tufts densely crowded on a very short 

 rhizome. Leaves many, firm, subterete, erect, l-\ ft. long. 

 Peduncle 1-headed, terete, as long as the leaves. Spathe l-lA in. 



