GLADIOLUS. 206 



Klatt. — Corm globose, ^ in. diam. ; tunics of parallel fibres. Leaves 

 3-4, linear, flat, moderately firm, |— ^ in. broad, the lower a foot or 

 more long. Stem slender, 1-1 i ft. long. Flowers 2-G in a very 

 lax equilateral spike ; spathe-valves lanceolate, green, the outer 

 lower 2-3 in. long. Flowers white ; tube narrowly funnel-shaped, 

 suberect, nearly straight, 1^-2 in. long ; segments oblong, acute, 

 shorter than the tube ; the 3 lower smaller, with a spade-shaped 

 purple mark in the centre. Stamens half as long as the segments, 

 Hab. Cape Colony ; south-western provinces. 



26. G. cuspiDATus Jacq. Ic. t. 257 ; Bot. Mag. t. 582. G. midu- 

 hitus Linn. G. affinis Pers. — Corm globose, i-f in. diam.; tunics 

 of fine, matted, parallel fibres. Produced leaves 3-4, flat, linear, 

 rigid, ^-^ in. broad, the lowest 1-2 ft. long. Stems 1-2 ft. long. 

 Flowers 4-8 in a very lax, equilateral, or subsecund spike ; spathe- 

 valves lanceolate, green, the outer lower 2-3 in. long. Periantli 

 wdiite or pale pink ; tube narrowly funnel-shaped, suberect, slightly 

 curved, 2-3 in. long ; segments 1^-2 in. long, oblong-lanceolate, 

 wavy ; the 3 lower with a spade-shaped blotch in the centre. 

 Stamens half as long as the segments. 



Var, G. vENTEicosus Lam. Ency. Hi. 727. G. cuspidatm Andr. 

 Bot. Eep. t. 147 ; Red. Lil. t. 36. G. carneus Jacq. Ic, t. 255 ; 

 Bot. Mag. t. 591, non Delar. — Flowers pink; point of the seg- 

 ments shorter and less wavy. 



Var. ENsiFOLius Baker. — Stem much shorter. Leaves much 

 shorter, ensiform, rigid, strongly veined. 



Hab. Cape Colony ; southern provinces. 



27. G. voMERcuLus Ker, Gen. Lid. 142. G. hastatus Ker in Bot. 

 Mag. t. 1564, non Thunb. G. tigrinus Eckl. — Corm globose ; 

 tunics of parallel fibres. Lower sheath-leaves mottled with purple ; 

 produced leaves 3-4, linear, flat, strongly ribbed, J-i in. broad, the 

 lowest a foot long. Stem 1-1 i ft. long. Flowers 2-3 in a lax 

 spike ; outer spathe-valves green, lanceolate, 1^-2 in. long. Peri- 

 anth lilac, with a curved tube f-1 in. long, and oblong, acute seg- 

 ments a little longer than the tube ; the 3 lower with a spade- 

 shaped yellow blotch at the throat. Stamens half as long as the 

 segments. 



Hab. Cape Colony ; Table Mountain aud Caledon. 



28. G. sTRicTUs Jacq. Ic. t. 260. —Corm globose, ^ in. diam., 

 with thick tunics of parallel, rigid strands. Leaves 3, long- 

 sheathing, with free linear points not more than 2-3 in. long. 

 Stem about a foot long. Flowers 2-3, erect ; outer spathe-valves 

 green, lanceolate, 1-1^ in. long. Perianth yellowish, with a nearly 

 straight tube an inch long, and oblong, acute segments as long as 

 the tube ; the upper one ^-^ in. broad ; the others narrower. 

 Stamens half as long as the segments. 



Hab. Cape Colony. Known to me only from Jacquin's figure and de- 

 scription. 



29. G. RACHiDiFLORUS Klatt, Erganz. 5. — Leaves narrow linear, 

 1 in. broad, the lowest nearly 2 ft. long. Stem forked, 2 ft. long. 



