42 



in a loose, few-flowered umbel, surrounded by a dry 

 2-valved involucre. Flowers 6-7, on long peduncles, 

 drooping, dark purplish. Perianth double, outer-one 

 funnel-shaped, limb 6 partite, interior 3-leaved, fleshy. 



This bulbous plant has a very pungent, offensive odour, 

 very like that of garlic, and a somewhat acrimonious taste, and 

 has received the name of wilde Knoflook (wild garlic). Its 

 bulbs, boiled in milk, are recommended in phthisis, and 

 for expelling intestinal worms. In the eastern districts, 

 Tulhaghia cepacea and T. violacea serve the same purpose. 



IDOTHEA. KuNTH. 



(^Asphodelece.) 



VI. — 1. HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA. LIN. SYST. 



92. Idothea ciliaris, Kth. Root a scaly bulb. Radi- 

 cal leaves (appearing after the flowers have faded) 

 strap-shaped, pointed, and fringed with short marginal 

 hairs. Scape straight, spotted, smooth, much longer 

 than the leaves. Flowers racemose, greenish-white ; 



Jlower-stalks spreading. 



The bulb of this plant greatly resembles that of the 

 Scilla maritima; it is of a dingy, purplish colour, and 

 its juice is so very acrid as to cause inflammation and 

 even blisters, when applied to the skin. It is called 

 Jeukbol (itching bulb) by the Colonists, and used by them 

 when dried, like the common Squill is in Europe, as an • 

 emetic, expectorant, and diuretic. 



Found in the district of Swellendam, where it flowers 

 in the month of September. 



Idothea elata, Kth., closely allied to this species, has 

 the same properties, and was already known to Breynius* 

 as the " Bulbus liliaceus vomitorius Capitis bonae Spei." 



EKIOSPERMUM. Jacq. 



(^Asphodelece,) 

 VI. — 1. HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA. LIN. SYST. 



93. Eriospermum latifolium. Jacq. Root tuberous, 

 roundish, knobbed, blood-red inside. Radical-leaf 



• J. Breynius Exoticarum, aliarumque minus cognitarum plantarum' 

 Centuria. Gedani 1678. Fol, (Tab. 40.) 



