GLADIOLUS. 220 



4-6 in. long. Stem under ^ ft. long. Flowers 2-6 in a very lax 

 simple spike with a flexuose racliis ; outer spatlie-valves lanceolate, 

 green, ^-^ in. long. Perianth pinkish, with a nearly straight 

 ascending tuhe ^ in. long ; upper segment oblong-unguiculate, 

 acute, arching, an incli long ; the other similar in shape, but 

 shorter. Stamens two-thirds the length of the upper segment. 

 Hab. Cape Colony ; Namaqualancl. First gathered by Dr6ge. 



120. G. FORMosus Klatt in Linn, xxxii. 692. Hehca formosa 

 Eckl. — Corm small, ovoid; tunics of thick wiry parallel strands. 

 Produced leaves 3, firm, subterete, the lower above a foot long. 

 Stem 1-2 ft. long. Flowers many, in a simple or forked lax spike ; 

 outer spathe-valves green, oblong-lanceolate, ^-f in. long. Perianth 

 bright purple, with a nearly straight erect iv^e, ^ in. long ; upper 

 segment oblong-unguiculate, arched, acute, 1-1^ in. long ; lateral 

 similar in shape, but shorter ; 3 lower obovate, with a long claw. 

 Stamens much shorter than the upper segment. 



Hab. Cape Colony ; south-western provinces. 



121. G. DrecxEi Klatt in Linn, xxxii. 694. — Corm small, ovoid; 

 tunics brown, with rhomboid areolsB. Produced leaves 3-4, firm, 

 narrow linear, 4-6 in. long. Stem slender, 4-6 in. long. Flowers 

 6-9 in a lax simple spike; outer spathe-valves green, lanceolate, 

 the lower ^ in. long. Perianth (colour uncertain) with a nearly 

 straight ascending tube ^ in, long ; upper segment arched, h in. 

 long, with a small obovate blade and long claw ; the others shorter, 

 with obovate-truncate blade and shorter claws. Stamens nearly as 

 long as the upper segment. 



Hab. Cape Colony ; north-west province, Drer/e 2631. 



122. G. EDULis Burch. ; Ker in Bot. Keg. t. 169. — Corm small, 

 ovoid ; tunics of fine matted parallel fibres. Produced leaves 3, 

 firm, narrow linear, the lower sometimes overtopping the stem. 

 Stem slender, 1-1^ ft. long. Flowers 8-15 in lax simple or forked 

 spikes ; outer spathe-valves oblong-lanceolate, green, i-f in. long. 

 Perianth pale lilac, with a nearly straight ascending tube ^ in. long ; 

 segments all furnished with a very distinct cusp ; upper obovate- 

 unguiculate, f in. long ; the others shorter, with a small rhomboid 

 blade and long slender claw. Stamens half as long as the upper 

 segment. 



Hab. Cape Colony ; eastern provinces from Grahamstown and Uitenhage, 

 northward to Bechuanaland and Natal ; first gathered by Burchell. 



123. G. PERMEABiLis Delar. Diss. 27, t. 2. G. dichotomm Thunb. 

 Behea Zeijheri Eckl. — Corm small, ovoid ; tunics of parallel fibres. 

 Produced leaves 3-4, firm, narrow linear or subterete, ^-1 ft. long. 

 Stem slender, flexuose, i-l ft. long. Flowers 6-12 in lax simple 

 or branched spikes ; outer spathe-valves green, lanceolate, h-^^ in. 

 long. Perianth pale pink or lilac, with a curved tube I in. long; 

 upper segment obovate-unguiculate, f in. long; lateral rhomboid- 

 unguiculate ; 3 lower with a small oblong blade and long claw. 

 Stamens more than half as long as the upper segment. 



Hab. Cape Colony ; eastern provinces. 



Q 



