HJEMANTHUS. 



63 



Subgenus Melicho (Salisb.). Bulb with thick bifarious tunics. 

 Leaves thick and fleshy. Spathe-valves and perianth- segments 

 spreading Sp. 14-17. 



Subgenus Diacles (SaHsb.). Bulb with thick bifarious tunics. 

 Leaves thick and fleshy. Spathe-valves and perianth- segments 

 permanently ascending. 

 Bracts white, veined with green. Flowers white. 



Peduncle produced Sp. 18-21. 



Peduncle scarcely any .... Sp. 22-23. 



Bracts reddish, |-1 in. long, generally shorter 



than the flowers Sp. 24-31. 



Bracts reddish, l|-2 in. long, equalling or over- 

 topping the flowers ..... Sp. 32-38. 



Subgenus Nerissa. 



1. H. MULTiFLORus Martyu, Monogr. cum icone ; Bot. Mag. 

 t. 9G1 & 1995; Andr. Bot. Kep. t. 318; Bed. Lil. t. 204; Lodd. 

 Bot. Cab. t. 912 & 1948; Flore des Serres, t. 52. H. ahjssinicus 

 Herb. H. arabicus Roem. H. deUujoensis Herb. H. tenuijlorus 

 Herb, in Bot. Mag. t. 3870. H. Kalbreyeri Baker in Gard. Chron. 

 1878, ii. 202; Flore des Serres, t. 2377; 111. Hort. n.s. t. 354.— 

 Bulb globose, If- 3 in. diam. Leaves 3-4, produced on a short 

 special stem, with an oblong blade ^-1 ft. long, and short sheathing 

 petioles ; main veins 6-8 on each side of the distinct midrib ; 

 transverse veinlets very close, very oblique. Peduncle separate 

 from the leafy stem, slender or stout, plain green or spotted with 

 red. Umbel dense, 3-6 in. diam. ; pedicels l-lf in. long ; spathe- 

 valves 6-8, reflexing, green, lf-2 in. long. Perianth blood-red; 

 tube cylindrical, |— |- in. long; segments linear, 3-nerved, twice as 

 long as the tube. Filaments bright red, 1-lJ in. long. Berry 

 bright scarlet. 



Hab. Throughout Tropical Africa from Sierra Leone to Korclofan, Abys- 

 sinia, and Delagoa Bay. First published by Vallet in his ' Jardiu du Eoi ' in 

 1608. Very variable, but I cannot make out that more than a single species is 

 covered by the above synonyms. There is an authentic specimen of his H. 

 coccineus, from Forskhahl, in the Smithian Herbarium. 



2. H. FiLiFLORUs Hiern MSS. ; Baker in Journ. Bot, 1878, 94. 

 — Bulb globose. Leafy stem a foot long, bearing about 6 oblong 

 leaves on short sheathing petioles; blade membranous, a foot long; 

 main veins 10-12 between midrib and edge ; transverse veinlets 

 close, oblique. Peduncle lateral, a foot long, spotted. Umbel very 

 dense, 5-6 in. diam. ; pedicels 1-lJ in. long ; spathe-valves oblong, 

 2 in. long, red-brown. Perianth bright red ; tube cylindrical, -| in. 

 long; segments linear, 1-nerved, f-f in. long. Filaments f in. long. 



Hab. Angola, in the Province of Pungo Andongo, Welwitsch -4009 ! 4010 I 

 Flowers in October. Very near H. muUijiorm ; perhaps a mere variety. 



3. H. Mannii Baker in Bot. Mag. t. 6364. —Bulb small, 

 globose. Leaves 5-6 at the summit of a short special stem, with 

 an oblong acute membranous blade |- ft. or more long narrowed to 

 a short channelled petiole ; main veins about 10 on each side of the 



