45 



chronic skin diseases. It is also reported to enter into the composition of a patent 

 medicine which is sold m England. By the Hottentots it is smoked like tobacco, 

 and by the natives in Natal it is used as a remedy for colds. The whole of the 

 plant except the root is used in decoction as a tonic for calves, and is said to be 

 very efficacious. The plant is boiled with water until the decoction is the colour 

 of brown sherry, and the dose is 1 pint twice or thrice a week. 



Dr. Andrew Smith says that it is used in the Cape Colony as a remedy for 

 snake bites, he also says " The kafir name umfincafincane is taken from the sugar- 

 birds sipping the sweets from the bottom of its long trumpet shaped corollas. 

 Before the mouth of the corolla opens, which it does when the stamens are mature, 

 the nectar is intensely bitter, but at the moment of opening the sweetness is 

 developed. This means that nature does not wish insect marauders who cannot 

 carry the pollen where it is required, to come and rob the nectary." 



The plant is known to the Zulus as u-Munyani. 



Fig. 1, Flowering stem with leaves and flowers, reduced ; 2, Corolla opened ; 

 3, Calyx opened showing ovaries and style; 4, Stamen; 5, Anther; 6, Apex of 

 style and stigma, front and side view ; 7, Nut showing glands ; 8, Pollen grain ; all 

 enlarged. 



PLATE 54. 



LAPEYROUSU CEUENTA, Baker. 

 Natural Order 



Corm ovoid, white, ^-f inch diameter, tunics finely reticulate, light brown, 

 detachable as a matted covering. Stem below ground reaching to 4 inches long. 

 Basal leaves 3-4, the upper ones only reaching above the surface of the ground ; 

 produced leaves 6-7, distichous, equitant at base, erect, linear and grass like, edge 

 entire, apex acute, midvein prominent, lateral ones several on each side, two of 

 which are more conspicuous than the others, and hyaline; 12-16 inches long, ^ ^ 

 inch wide. Flowering stem a little shorter than the longest leaves, bearing 1-3 

 equitant depauperated leaves, sometimes branched in upper portion. Inflorescence 

 a lax secund spike, spathe valves 2, opposite, ovate, acute, entire, faintly veined, 

 2-3 lines long. Perianth tube slender, straight, cylindrical, faintly many ribbed, 

 widening a little to apex, tube f-1^ inches long ; limb 6 lobed, lobes oblong, 

 spreading, deep bright red or carmine, the three lower ones with each a rounded 

 blotch at base, upper middle one a little larger than the others ; spreading to 

 1 inch across. Stamens 3, exserted, about half as long as the perianth lobes, 

 inserted just below throat, and then conspicuously decurrent along the tube, 

 filaments red at apex, unilateral; anthers linear, 2 celled, arcuate, purple. Style 

 slender, 3 lobed at apex, each lobe again deeply bifid. Ovary 3 celled, cells about 

 4 seeded, ovules slightly angular by pressure. Capsule trigonous with rounded 

 lobes. 



Habitat: NATAL: Coast districts, common, and reaching according to Mr. 

 Buchanan to tlie neighbourhood of Fort Nottingham. 



Drawn and described from specimens in flower on Berea, August, 1 898. 



This plant was formerly known as Anomatheca cruenta, but the genus 

 Anomatheca has now been united with Lapeyrousia. It is very common in the 

 coast districts, flowering in the early spring, say from July to September. The 

 native name is unknown to us. 



