PLATE 503. 



Olivia miniata, Rrgbl. (F1. Cap. Vol. VI, p. 229). 

 Natural Order, AmartllidejE. 



A stemless plant bearing umbels of orange-red flowers. Leaves many, strap- 

 shaped, but narrowing a little to base, acute at apex, bright green, glabrous, 1 6 

 inches to 2 feet long, 2 to 2^ inches wide above the middle. Peduncle a little 

 shorter than the leaves, compressed, sharply 2-edged; umbels 12 to 20-flowered, 

 pedicels 1 to 2 inches long; outer spathe valves oblong, acute, broad based, ij 

 inches long, 7 to 8 lines wide ; inner bracts narrow-linear, 1 inch or more long. 

 Perianth erect, bright orange-red in upper half, lower portion with yellow central 

 band and whitish margins, 6-lobed, tube very short, funnel-shaped, lobes 

 oblanceolate, 2 to 2f inches long, the three inner ones ^ inch wide at widest part, 

 emarginate, the three outer ones 5 to 6 lines wide, minutely thickened at apex. 

 Stamens shorter than perianth lobes, filaments compressed; anthers linear, ver- 

 satile. Ovary oblong, bluntly 3-angled, 5 to 6 lines long, 3 lines wide; 3 celled, 

 cells several ovuled ; style slender as long as perianth segments, minutely trifid at 

 apex. Fruit a bright red berry, seeds one or few, large, subglobose, bulbiform. 



Habitat : Natal : Coast to at least 3000 feet alt., usually under shade. Intro- 

 duced into Europe in 1854, and has been hybridised and much improved in 

 cultivation. It was formerly known as Imantophyllum miniatum, (Hook) but the 

 genus Imantophyllum has been now abolished in favour of the older genus Clivia 

 which includes three species only, all natives of South Africa. 



Fig. 1, umbel with portion of peduncle; 2, leaf ; 3, cross section of peduncle; 

 4, spathe valve; 5, bract; 6, style and stigmas; 7, cross section of ovary; figs. 1 

 to 6 natural size ; figs. 6 and 7 enlarged. 



