PLATE 342. 
Guapionus saunpuRsi, Hook. (FI. Cap. Vol. VL, p. 158.) 
Natural Order, Inipea. 
Corm subglobose, depressed, | to 2 inches diameter. Leaves 4 to 8, ensiform, 
ribbed, but not always strongly so, glabrous, | to 2 feet long, 3 to 1 inch broad. 
Stem including inflorescence 1} to 3 feet long; spike laxly 4 to 2-flowered ; 
spathe-valves green, lanceolate, ie to 2 inches long. Periavth tube, straight or 
curved, 1 to 14 inches long, widely opening from throat, limb 6-lobed, lobes mucro- 
nulate, the three upper lobes largest, oblong-spathulate, acute, bright scarlet, 
usually without markings, | to 24 inches long, | to 14 inch broad; the three lower 
ones similar in shape, but a little shorter and narrower ; all mucronulate, the upper 
half scarlet, central portion with an irregular band of creamy white, which is 
usually produced into a spike-like point in upper portion in centre, lower half 
scarlet mottled with white. Stamens 3, unilateral, reaching nearly to the apex of 
perianth lobes, filaments filiform, inserted at throat of tube; anthers about 6 lines 
long, linear, pink, 2-celled, basifixed. Ovary 3-celled, many ovuled, ovules super- 
posed ; style filiform, 3-branched, branches short, gradually thickened and flattened 
at-apex. Ripe capsule and seeds not seen. 
Habitat: Natat: Krantz Kop, McKen, No. 17; Inanda, 1800 feet alt, Wood, 
No. 1216. Also in Cape Colony and Transvaal. 
This is one of the handsomest of our species of Gladiolus, and is not very 
common. It is usually found in crevices of rocks, with its leaves and flowers hang- 
ing downwards, and often in quite inaccessible places. It varies much in size, and 
also in the markings of the perianth lobes, the creamy white band on the three 
lower lobes being commonly as described in the text, and the three upper lobes 
concolourous, but occasionally the spike-like point is absent, and in a living speci- 
men now before me the central upper lobe has two conspicuous creamy white 
biotches, one near each margin, and one of the lateral lobes has the same markings 
as the lower lobes, but not so conspicuous. The texture of the leaves also, no 
doubt, alters according to the situation in which the plant is grown. In the FI. 
Capensis they are described as “ rigid in texture, strongly ribbed,” but in the speci- 
men from which I describe, which was brought from Umzinyati Falls, near Durban, 
and flowered in the Botanic Gardens, February, 1904. they are as stated above, 
neither rigid nor strongly ribbed. 
Fig. 1, style and stigmas; 2, ovary; 3, stigma much more enlarged; 4, 
stamen, front view; 5, same, back view ; 6, longitudinal section of ovary; all 
enlarged. 
