268 Plants and their Ways in South Africa 



Like other flowers of this group, their beauty is fleeting, as they 

 wither quickly. 



Homeria, formerly called Morfea, has a much smaller pistil, 

 and the parts of the perianth are equal or nearly so. The flowers 

 are pale yellow or pink occurring with the leaves. 



H. collina, Vent., is the " Groot Tulp" \vhich is poisonous to cattle. 

 Dr. Pappe writes of a whole family being killed by eating the little bulbs 



FIG. 241. Moraa tripetala, Ker. FIG. 242. Gladiolus gracilis, Jacq. 



which are produced in great abundance in the bulbs and axils of the 

 leaves. Transport drivers use a decoction of the bark of the thorn tree 

 (Acacia horrida, Willd.) as an antidote. This plant covers large areas 

 in the western region. 



Romulea (" Frutang "). Flowers reddish-purple, lilac, or 

 yellow. Leaves narrow, usually over-topping the flowers. 



Aristea is a widely distributed genus, with bright blue 

 flowers, which twist up in a spiral and become inky after flower- 

 ing. The inner bract is papery, brown or white, and often 

 deeply fringed. Rootstock of slender fibres or a rhizome, 

 never bulbous. Leaves in a dense two-sided rosette. A. 



