PLATE 341. 



CTRTANTHUS SANGUINEUS, Hook. (Fl. Cap. Vol. VI. /p. 227.) 

 Natural Order, AMARYLLIDEA 



A bulbous plant with large brilliant scarlet flowers. Bulb ovoid, up to 3 

 inches diameter, tunics brown, thin, papery. Leaves 3-4, contemporary with the 

 flowers, lanceolate, acute, entire, glabrous, 8 to 12 inches long, reaching to 1 inch 

 broad in centre, tapering gradually to a compressed petiole, 3 to 5 inches long. 

 Peduncles one or more to a balb, terete or compressed, fistulose, pale green, reach- 

 ing to 18 inches long. Flowers solitary or 2 or 3 to an umbel, scentless ; pedicels 

 ^ to 2 inches long ; spathe valves, 2 to 4, lanceolate, withering, 1 to 3 inches long. 

 Perianth 3 to 5 inches long, tube slender, cylindical and green in lower portion, 

 which is usually a little curved, then gradually widening to throat and becoming 

 scarlet, throat f to 1 inch diameter, interior with 6 dark lines, from throat to base 

 of the widened part of the tube ; segments 6, oblong-lanceolate, recurved equalling 

 the tube, -| inch wide to centre, the outer ones minutely cucullate at apex. Stamens 

 6, inserted on perianth tube a little below the sinuses, free portion of the filaments 

 ^ inch long, arcuate, incurved; anthers oblong, dorsi fixed, versatile. Ovary oblong 

 subtrigonous, 3-celled, ovules many, superposed ; style longer than the stamens, 

 filiform ; stigmas 3, recurved. Ripe seeds not seen. 



Habitat : NATAL : Coast and midlands to at least 2000 feet alt ; Inanda, 1800 

 feet alt, Wood ; Lower Umzimkulu, 300 feet alt, Wood. Also in Galla country, 

 Bast Tropical Africa, Wakefield. 



Drawn and described from specimens flowered at Botanic Gardens, Durban, 

 February, 1904. 



This is one of the largest flowered and handsomest of the genus, and is now 

 becoming a favourite in cultivation. It is usually found in rocky ground, and often 

 in crevices of perpendicular rocks. At one time it was common near Durban, but 

 the bulbs have been carried off by visitors, so that it has almost if not quite dis- 

 appeared from the locality. It is a suitable plant for hanging baskets, where its 

 brilliantly coloured flowers are very conspicuous. The genus contains about 20 

 species, all natives of Africa, one of these is in tropical, and all the others in South 

 Africa. 



Fig. 1, apex of outer perianth lobe; 2, style and stigmas; 3, stamen, side 

 view ; 4, same, back view ; 5, longitudinal section of ovary ; all enlarged. 



