PLATE LXVI. 
GLADIOLUS POLYSTACHIUS. 
Branching Gladiolus. 
Cranes i ORDER I. 
TRIANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Three Chives. One Pointal. 
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER. 
Bossom of fix divifions, and gaping. 
Catves afcending. 
See Plate XI. Geipedncs ROSEUS. 
Coroxta 6-partita, ringens. 
Sramina adfcendentia. 
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 
Gladiolus with cymitar-fhaped leaves; ftem many 
Gladiolus foliis falcatis; caule polyftachio; co- 
branches; bloffoms nearly regular, and flefh 
colour. 
rollis fub-regularibus, carneis. 
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REFERENCE TO THE PLATE. 
1. The Empalement. 
2. A Bloffom cut open, with the Chives attached. 
3. The Pointal and Seed-bud, one fummit magnified. 
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Tus fpecies of Gladiolus has been long known in herbariums, as it is very common about Table 
mountain, at the Cape of Good Hope ; Jacquin, Thunberg, Gmelin, Welldenow, &c. have it under the 
tribe of Ixia, with the fpecific names of Scillaris, Fabricii, &c. but notwithftanding, we have no 
hefitation in placing it under its true genus Gladiolus, The upright character of the chives, their 
infertion into the tube of the bloffom, and not at the mouth, the difference in the fhape of the petals, 
the fituation of the fummits behind the chives, &c. leave no room for doubt where its ftation fhould 
be. Although plentiful at the Cape, it has not been long an inhabitant of this clime; having flowered 
for the firft time in the year 1797, at Bulftrode, the feat of his Grace the Duke of Portland. What 
contributes much to the value of this plant is, that it continues in flower at leaft two months, from 
the beginning of June till the end of July; propagates itfelf abundantly by the roots, which are not 
fabje& to rot, though not removed from the pots in which they have flowered, Thrives in peat earth. 
