179 



48. MicRANTHUs Pers. 



relict nth with a short curved subcyliudrical tube and subequal 

 spreading oblaiiceoLite obtuse segments. Stainens inserted at the 

 throat of the perianth-tube, arcuate, close, unilateral ; filaments 

 filiform ; anthers lanceolate, versatile. Ovaii/ 3-celled ; ovules 2 ui 

 a cell, erect, collateral ; style filiform ; branches short, subulate, 

 bifid. Capsule oblong, membranous, loculicidally 3-valved. Seeds 

 1-2 in a cell, narrow, erect. — Iviotstocic a corm with thick reticulated 

 tunics. Lf^rtj;es sheathing, superposed. F/ou'^rs small, red, forming 

 dense distichous spikes ; outer spathe-valve oblong-lanceolate, with 

 a rigid centre and broad hyaline border. 



1. M. pLANTAGiNEUs Eckl. Topog. Vorz. 43. Wdtftonitt phintii- 

 ginia Kjr in Bot. i\Iag. t. 553. Ixia plitiititi/lnea Ait. ; Red. Lil. t. 

 198. /. triticea Burm. GUidiolus plaiitdijineiis Pers. (t. alopecii- 

 roides Linn, ex parte. P/utlttni/iiiin spicatuin Houtt. Watsonia com- 

 pacta Lodd. Bot. Cab. t. 1577. W. triticea Spreng. — Corm ovoid, 

 "I in. diam. ; tunics thick, reticulated, ending in bristles. Produced 

 leaves about 3, linear, firm, strongly ribbed, the lower |-1 ft. long, 

 the upper shorter, loosely sheathing. Stems i-l ft. long, simple 

 or branched. Spikes 3-6 in. long, the lower flowers often abortive 

 or replaced by bulbill^e ; spathe ^ in. long. Perianth-tube as long 

 as the spathe ; segments ^-^ in. long. Stamens as long as the 

 segments. 



Var. JUNCEA Baker. — Leaves subterete. 

 Hab. Cape Colony ; southern provinces. 



2. M. FisTULOsus Eckl. Topog. Verz. 44. M. spicatns Klatt. 

 Gladiolus alopecwoides Linn, ex parte. G. spicatiis Linn. (t. tubii- 

 losus Burm. G. Jistulosus Jacq. Hort. Schoen. t. 6. I^ia cepacea 

 Red. Lil. t. 96. 'Lfi^tulosa Ker in Bot. Mag. t. 523.— Corm i-1 in. 

 diam. ; tunics tipped with bristles. Leaves 3-4, superposed, lorate, 

 falcate, glabrous, the lower 3-6 in. long, the upper shorter. Stem 

 simple, ^-1 ft. long. Spike, spathe and perianth just like those of 

 M. pi anta( linens. 



Hab. Cape Colony ; south-western provinces, 



49. Babiana Ker. 



Perianth with a cylindrical tube dilated at the top ; limb ringent 

 or subrotate ; segments oblong. Stamens unilateral, inserted near 

 the top of the perianth-tube ; filaments filiform ; anthers linear- 

 oblong. Ovary 3-celled ; ovules many, superposed ; style-branches 

 short, simple, flattened at the tip. Capsule oblong, loculicidally 

 3-valved. Seeds small, globose or angled by pressure. — Rootstoric 

 a tunicated corm. Leaves usually lanceolate, plicate and hairy. 

 Spikes simple or branched; spathe-valves various in texture, usually 

 lanceolate, firm, pilose, Flmvers usually reddish or lilac. 



Subgenus Eubabiana. Perianth ringent ; segments oblong. 

 Perianth with a long tube , , . Sp. 1-9. 

 Perianth-tube not more than \\ in. long Sp. 10-22. 



