94 Key to the System of 



460. All flowers provided with stamens and pistils . ... 461 



Staminate and pistillate flowers mostly or entirely on 

 separate plants ... ... ... ... ... 463 



461. Fruit succulent, indehiscent. 



Erect herbs ; root creeping ; leaves rather broad, in two 

 rows ; flowers axillary, either solitary or two together ; 

 sepals distinct ; petals similar to the sepals ; fruit many- 

 seeded, outside blue or orange-colored. Drymophila. 1832 



Fruit dry, dehiscent 462 



462. Leaves broad. 



Erect or rarely spreading herbs ; root fibrous ; flowers ter- 

 minal, solitary or few together ; sepals distinct, petaloid ; 

 petals similar to the sepals, both bent inwards along the 

 margin before expansion ; fruit dehiscent between the 

 dissepiments ; seeds many, provided with an appendage. 



Schelhammera. 1833 



Leaves very narrow. 



Erect plant ; root fascicular-fibrous ; flowers in a terminal 

 umbel ; sepals distinct, petaloid ; petals similar to the 

 sepals, both bent inward along the margin before expan- 

 sion ; fruit dehiscent at the dissepiments. 



Burchardia. 1834 



463. Root bulbous. 



Small plants ; leaves very narrow ; flowers spicate or 

 solitary; sepals petaloid, distinct or somewhat connate with 

 the petals and similar to them; fruit dehiscent between the 

 dissepiments ; seeds many. Figure 118. Wurmbea. 1835 



Root thick, producing strong fibres ... ... ... 464 



464. Leaves rather soft, somewhat succulent. 



Perennial plants, often alpine, generally beset with white 

 silky vestiture ; leaves mostly basal, rather or quite 

 narrow ; flowers crowded or in paniculate racemes ; sepals 

 distinct ; petals similar ; fruit succulent, indehiscent. 



Astelia. 1836 



Leaves rather hard, almost dry. 



Dwarf or rather tall plants, always perennial ; leaves 

 narrow, rigid ; flowers usually very small ; sepals and 

 petals often connate towards the base, persistent ; 

 filaments capillary, smooth ; anthers bilobed ; fruit three- 

 seeded ; outer seed-membrane (testa) pale. Xerotes. 1837 



