PLATE 519. 



CROCOSMIA AUKEA, PLANCH. (Fl. Cap. Vol. VI, p. 129.) 

 Natural Order, 



Corm globose or subglobose, tunics thin, membranous, brown. Stems 2 to 4 

 feet long, ancipitous, or with 3-4 more or less elevated sharp ridges, Leaves 6 to 

 12, sheathing the stem to its base, distichous, linear, entire, 18 inches or more 

 long to end of the sheathing base, 6 to 9 lines wide, stem-leaves 2-3, similar to 

 the others, but shorter and narrower. Inflorescence a compound branching spike, 

 the main axis almost straight, remainder flexuous, unilateral, with a flower at each 

 angle. Bracts at base of each spike deltoid-acuminate, 2 to 4 lines long. Spathe- 

 valves reddish brown, ovate or oblong, acute, \ to \ inch long. Perianth orange- 

 red, tube | to 1 inch long, limb spreading to 3 inches in diameter, segments oblong 

 to oblong-lanceolate, spreading, at length strongly reflexed. Stamens 3, unilateral, 

 inserted at base of perianth tube, reaching to tips of the segments, filaments 

 filiform, anthers linear, sagittate, versatile, 4 lines long Ovary inferior, 

 3-celled, ovules few in each cell, superposed ; style filiform, 3-cleft, the branches 

 3 lines long, dilated at apex. Capsule sub-globose 3-lobed, dehiscing longi- 

 tudinally ; seeds few, large. 



Habitat: NATAL: Umhloti 1800 feet alt., Wood 797, February; Gerrard 404; 

 Plant 76; Gooper 3202; Buchanan; near Durban 150 feet alt., March, Wood 

 11086. Also in Tropical Africa. 



The genus Crocosmia consists of this one species only; it is almost confined to 

 South Africa, its only other known habitat being South East Tropical Africa; 

 apparently it is not found in Cape Colony except in Griqualand Bast, but in 

 Transvaal, Poiidoland and Tembuland it has been gathered by various collectors ; 

 in the coast districts of Natal, and to at least 2000 feet above sea level it is not 

 uncommon, and it is usually found at edges of thickets and similar places. It is 

 in cultivation in Europe, having been introduced in 1846, and was formerly known 

 as Tritonia aurea, Pappe. 



Fig. 1, stamen; 2, pistil; 3, cross section of ovary; 4, capsule, natural size, 

 remainder enlarged. 



