Classification of Plants 



26- 



Vallota (Knysna Lily). Flowers with Icuvus, 6-9 to umbel, 

 bright scarlet. Perianth tubular with equal spreading segments. 



Western, Central, Eastern, and Kalahari regions. 



Haemanthus. — " The April Fool " merits its name, as 

 we think when we find that what we took to be a single flower 

 is really a dense umbel of many flowers surrounded by bright 

 red bracts. After the bracts and flowers have withered and 

 fallen, the bright red berries appear. Later come the leaves. 

 They make enough food during the rainy season for the 

 flowers and fruit of the next year, which is stored in the large 

 bulbs. About thirty species are found, both Eastern and 

 ^^'estern. Flowering in April. 



Buphane is often confused with Brunsvigia, the flowers 

 of each genus being in dense umbels on short stout scapes. 

 The differences are so slight, and individuals of each genus are 

 found having characters of the other, that they may well be 

 grouped under the same genus. 



Brunsvigia has along ovary tapering down into the stalk. 

 The flowers are slightly protandrous, but as in Buphane the 

 stigma is bent and can, if necessary, brush out the poMen from 

 its own or from neighbouring flowers. 



Cyrtanthus may be known by its long perianth tube and 

 hollow scape. 



Its bright red, red and white, 

 white, or yellow flowers are borne 

 in many or few to i -flowered 

 umbels. Seeds many ; ovary 

 bursting irregularly. C. Sanguin- 

 eus, Hook., has been crossed with . j^. 

 Vatlota purpurea, Herb. \ Cvf^. 



Order Iridace^e. 



Besides the characters given 

 in the key, the ovary of the Irideje 

 is 3-celled with manv ovules. 

 The three stamens belong to the 

 outer whorl, anthers extrorse. 

 Fruit a 3-celled capsule splitting down the centre of each carpel. 



Fig. 240.— Floral diagram. 



