WATSONIA. 



177 



diam. ; tunics of reticulated fibres, bristly at the top. Basal leaves 

 about 4, linear, rigid, 6-9 in, long. Stems a foot or more long, 

 usually simple. Spikes lax, 6-8-flowered ; spathe-valves oblong- 

 lanceolate, brown, rigid, ^-f in. long. Perianth bright rose-red, 

 with a curved tube f-1 in. long, broadly funnel-shaped in the upper 

 half; segments oblong, ^-t in. long. Anthers just protruded from 

 the perianth tube. 



Hab. Cape Colony ; south-western provinces. 



10. W. ROSEA Ker in Kouig et Sims, Ann. i. 230 ; Bot. Mag. t. 

 1072. W. striata Klatt. (rladlolKs iridifoliiis, var., Jacq, Ic. t. 

 235. G. pyramidatus Andr. Bot. Rep. t. 335. Neiiberia rosea Eckl. 

 — Corm large, globose ; tunics thick, fibrous. Basal leaves ensi- 

 form, rigid, 1-2 ft. long. Stems 4-5 ft. long, usually much 

 branched. Spikes lax or subdense, ^-1 ft. long ; spathe-valves 

 oblong-lanceolate, rigid, brown, J in. long. Perianth bright rose- 

 red, with a tube 1-1^ in. long, broadly funnel-shaped in the upper 

 third ; segments oblong-spatliulate, cuspidate, as long as the tube. 

 Stamens reaching halfway up the segments. 



Hab. Cape Colony ; southern provinces and the Transvaal. 



11. W. MARGiNATA Ker in Bot. Mag. t. 608. Gladiolus mar(ii- 

 vdtus Linn. fil. ; Thunb. ex parte. G. gluwacem Thunb. Ixia car- 

 tiUtijinea Lam. 1. marginata Ait. Neuberia marginata Eckl. — Corm 

 large, globose. Basal leaves ensiform, very rigid, 1-1^ ft. long. 

 Stems 4-5 ft. long, much branched. Spikes dense, the end one 

 6-9 in. long ; outer spathe-valve oblong-lanceolate, f in. long, 

 paler and less rigid than in the foregoing species. Perianth bright 

 rose-red, with a slender tube f in. long, broadly dilated at the 

 throat and oblong segments f-1 in. long. Stamens reaching half- 

 way up the segments, 



Var. MINOR Ker in Bot. Mag. t, 1530. — Flower smaller; ex- 

 panded limb about 1 in. diam. 



Hab. Cape Colony ; south-western provinces. 



Subgenus IIL Beilia. 



12. W. PUNCTATA Ker in Konig et Sims, Ann. i. 229. W. rubeiis 

 Ker. Gladiolus spicatus Linn. G. rubens Vahl. Beilia spicata 

 Eckl. — Corm globose, | in. diam, ; tunics thick, cancellate, tipped 

 with bristles. Leaves 3-4, superposed, narrow linear or subterete, 

 the lower 6-9 in. long. Stem simple, slender, terete, ^-1 ft. long. 

 Spike dense, 2-3 in. long; spathe-valves oblong-lanceolate, brownish 

 green, ^-^ in. long. Perianth dark red or dark violet; tube sub- 

 cylindrical, f-1 in. long, segments oblong, ^ in. long. Stamens 

 and style reaching halfway up the segments. 



Var. TKiTicEA Baker, Gladiolus triticeus Thunb. G. subulatus 

 Vahl, Beilia triticea Eckl. \V. subulata Klatt. — Leaves terete. 

 Spikes shorter and denser. Flowers smaller. 



Var. LONGicoLLis Baker. — Perianth with a slender tube 1-H in. 

 long ; segments ^ in. long. 



Hab. Cape Colony ; south-western provinces. 



