CXXXIV. MELANTIIACE^,. 105 



with linear-lanceolate, eiliate, sheathin<? leaves, and few-flowered scapes. 

 Flowers shortly pedicelled, yellow, reddish externally ; pedicels 1-bracteate. 

 — Common near Capetown. 



5. ORNITHOGLOSSUM, ISalisb. 



Perianth 6-parted, persistent ; segments subconnate at base, 

 lanceolate-linear, scarcely clawed, with a gland above the base 

 inside, widely spreading, rcflexed after ilowering. Stamens 

 inserted at the base of the sepals, subhypogynous. Ovary 

 elliptical, 3-celled ; styles 3, filiform. Capsule elliptical, 

 loculicidal. — Kunth, I.e. p. 163. 



Eulbiferous. Stem simple or branched, leafy, corymboso-racemose at the 

 summit. Leaves with clasping bases, lanceolate-linear. Flowers on long 

 pedicels, green or whitish, nodding; peduncles 1-bracteate at base, widely 

 spreading or deflexed in fruit. — 2 or 3 species. 



Order CXXXV. SMILACE^. 



Perianth petaloid, 6-parted. Stamens 6, in the base of the 

 sepals, rarely hypogynous. Ovary free, 3-celled ; ovules 1 or 

 several in each cell ; style usually 3-fid ; stigmas 3. Fruit a 

 berry ; seeds with a membranous coat, albuminous. — Perennial 

 herbs, undershrubs shrubs or trees, with fibrous or succulent 

 roots, or rhizomes. Stems often climbing. Leaves scattered, 

 sessile or petioled, sometimes reduced to scales. 



Perianth with a long, slender tube and spreading or 



reflexed limb ; stemless plants, with radical, rigid, 



lanceolate or cylindric or terete leaves .... 1. Sansevieka. 



Perianth tubular-bellshaped, with a short, erect limb; 



climbing plants, with broad, netted-veined leaves 



and small flowers 4. Dicttopsis. 



Perianth 6-parted to the base or nearly so ; climbing 

 or suberect halfshrubs or herbs. 

 Flowers bisexual ; peduncles 1-flowered. 



False-leaves in fascicles, subtended by a scale . 2. Asparagus. 

 False-leaves solitary, subtended by a scale . . 3. Mybsiphyllum. 

 Flowers dioecious, in umbels ; leaves netted- 

 veined 5. Smilax. 



1. SANSEVIERA, Thunb. 



Perianth with a long, cylintlrical tube, and 6-parted, spread- 

 ing or reflexed limb, deciduous; segments spathulate-liuear, 

 1-nerved, obtuse, ecpial. Stamens in the throat, exserted, 

 spreading. Ovules solitary ; style filiform, erect, longer than 

 the stamens ; stigma capitate, entire. Berries 1 or 3 subcon- 

 nate, globose, lleshy, 1-seeded. — Kunth, Enuni. \. p. 15. 



Stemless, with a thick, creeping rliizome. Leaves radical, numerous, 

 lanceolate, thick and hard, often Yielding very tough fibres for textile pur- 



