PLATE CCCLXVIII. 
MELANTHIUM MASSONIAFOLIUM. 
Massonia-leaved Melanthium. 
CLASS =i. VUHDER Ft. 
HEXANDRIA TRIGYNIA. Six Chives. Three Pointals. 
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER. 
Catyx 0. Corolla infera, 6-petala, petalis | No Caryx. Corolla beneath, 6-petalled, 
staminife ris. 
| with the petals staminiferous. 
SPECIFIC CHARACTER, &c. 
Mexantuium, foliis subrotundis_ prostratis 
| MELANTHIUM, with roundish _ prostrate 
sulcato-striatis, floribus spicatis. 
sulcato-striated leaves, and spiked 
flowers. 
Descriptio. Folia duo humi appressa, subrotunda, viridia, acumine obsoleto recurvato, striisque sul- 
catis parallelis circiter 12; subtus glabra pallidiora. Flores in spica perbracteata ut in Eucomide. 
Scapus clavatus teres. Bractee ovato-acuminate, magne; superiores paulo minores. Flores 
sessiles, bracteis multoties breviores, virides. Corolla hexapetaloidea, vix aperta, petalis sublan- 
ceolatis, obtusis, erectis, apicem versus incurvis. Filamenta brevissima, compressa, collo corollz 
imposita, basi confluentia. Anther@ erecte obsolete. Germen ——— ee desinens in 
stylos 3 obsoletissimos, subulatos, et fere adnatos. 
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE. 
1. A floral leaf. 
2. The corolla cut open. 
3. A back view of the same. 
4, The seed-bud and obsolete styles. 
Turs singular plant appears to us to be a new, but somewhat anomalous species of the Genus Melan- 
thium ; which, as it at present stands, unquestionably contains several Genera. It isa native of the Cape, 
and a Green-house plant ; and prior to flowering possesses altogether the appearance of a Massonia, and 
thrives very well with the treatment of one. Our drawing of it was taken from fine plants in the 
Hibbertian collection in the month of March. 
