294 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



often obscurely and distantly toothed, fleshy, green, shining, up to i inch long 

 by I broad, smaller above, merging into the bracts. Inflorescence generally of 

 two leafy branches with a flower in the fork ; bracts similar to the leaves. Buds 

 small, ovate, acute, hidden in the large, leafy, nearly erect sepals. Flowers purplish. 



Fig. 174. — 5. stellatum Linn. 



short-stalked or sessile, pedicels very' thick, J inch long. Sepals large (J inch or 

 more long), sub-erect, linear -lanceolate, green, very fleshy, often very unequal, 

 at first slightly shorter than the petals, but often twice as long as them before the 

 petals fade, tube short, thick. Petals erect, oblong- lanceolate, i to i|^ the sepals, 

 purplish above, white at base, with a strong greenish keel. Stamens \ the petals, 

 erect, filaments white, anthers rose to purple, the epipetalous ones adnate to 

 petals near base. Scales small, inconspicuous, whitish, about as broad as long. 

 Carpels about equalling the stamens, white, erect, soon spreading widely, stellate- 

 patent in fruit ; styles very short. 



