422 IRIS FAMILY. 



dense and many-flowered ; perianth usually lilac-red, the tube as long as 

 the spathe, and the lobes oblong-lanceolate. There are many forms, as 

 var. iuibko-cvAnea, with lilac-red limb and bright red throat, and var. 

 scLi'HUKEA, with flowers milk-white or sulphur-yellow. 

 * * Perianth distinctly ringent. 

 •»- Segments oblong. 

 B. plicdta, Ker. (B. punctata, B. frXgrans.) Stem mostly shorter 

 than the hairy lanceolate leaves; flowers in a simple or' forked spike, 

 reddish or lilac, with the tube as long as the spathe. 



B. d/sticha, Ker. Differs from the above chiefly in its longer perianth 

 tube, which is distinctly projected from the spathe. 



-1- ■*- Segments oblong- or Ungulate-clawed. 



B. ri'ngens, Ker. Stem 1°-1^'^ high, pilose ; leaves linear and glabrous, 

 many, thick ; flowers 8-12 in a dense 1-sided spike, red with a greenish 

 tube, the latter rather longer than the spathe. 



11. CROCOSMA. (Greek for saffron smell, alluding to the odor of 

 the dried flowers.) Cape of Good Hope. 



C. aOrea, Planch. The only species ; stem terete and branched, 2°-4^ 

 high, with a few small leaves ; spikes lax and few-flowered, flexuose ; 

 flowers brownish-yellow, the tube an inch or less long. 



12. TRITONIA. {Triton, a rane, alluding to the variable directions 

 of the anthers in different species.) Cape of Good Hope. In gardens, 

 more often known as Montbretia. 



* Perianth segments equal, oblong ; flowers small. 

 T. scillaris, Baker. (txiA scillXris.) Stem 1°, slender, simple or 

 branched ; basal leaves 4-6, plane, linear ; spike 3'-4' long, lax and flexuose ; 

 flowers pink, the tube cylindrical and somewhat longer than the spathe. 

 * * Perianth segments more or less unequal, oblong or obovate. 

 ■*- Flowers whitish or pale pink. 

 T. crispa, Ker. (txiA CRfsPA, Montbretia lacerAta.) Stem slender 

 and terete, simple or branched, 6'-12' high ; basal leaves 4-0, linear and 

 very crispy or curled ; spikes secuncl, 4-10-flowered ; perianth tube 2' or 

 less long, funnel-form at the top. 



■t- M- Floicers yelloio, sometimes blotched. 



■w. Segments obovate, much imbricated. 



T. crocata, Ker. Stem slender, 12'-18' high, simple, or branched 



below ; basal leaves 4-6, linear and plane ; flowers 4-10 in lax secund 



spikes ; flower bright brown-yellow, the tube rather longer than the 



spathe. 



T. deusta, Ker., differs only in having a purple-black spot on the claws 

 of the .3 outer segments. 



T. hyallna, Baker. Like T. crocata, except that the segments are nar- 

 rowed into a spatulate base or claw which has an inflexed hyaline margin. 

 ++ ++ Segments oblong, less imbricated. 

 T. Pdtts/'i, Benth. (Montbretia Botsii.) Stems 2"-3° high and 

 branched ; basal leaves 4-6, linear and plane ; spikes lax, 6'-y' long ; 

 flower bright yellow, with a tinge of red, the segments about half or less 

 the length of the broad tube. 



MoNTBRiiTiA crocosm.'efi.6ra Is a hybrid of the above and Crocosma 

 aurea. . . 



