PLATE 396. 
Gtoriosa virescens, Ldl. (Fl. Cap. Vol. VI., p. 526). 
Natural Order, Liniacea. 
Rootstock tuberous, often branched, white. Stems slender, elongated, climb- 
ing, green, terete. Leaves sessile, lower crowded, and with the central ones 
opposite or ternate, upper ones scattered and smaller, all oblong to oblong-lanceo- 
late and produced into a tendril at apex, margins quite entire, midrib very pro- 
minent beneath ; glabrous, dark green and shining on both surfaces ; 3 to 5 inches 
long including the tendril, 1 to 14 inch wide. Flowers axillary or terminal on 
stem and branches, peduncles terete, green, strongly recurved at apex. Perianth 
segments 6, persistent, very strongly reflexed and curved, clawed, the margins of 
the claw incurved; lamina lanceolate, acuminate, margins more or less undulate, 
edge of claw and lower portion of segment sulphur yellow, upper portion bright 
red, becoming darker in age; central nerve very prominent beneath, and thickened 
at the very base; 24 inches long, by ? inch wide. Stamens 6, hypogynous, fila- 
ments half to two thirds as long as the perianth segments, horizontally spreading, 
filiform ; anthers dehiscing laterally, and extrorsely. Ovary sessile, oblong, 3- 
celled, very deeply 3-lobed, many ovuled, ovules superposed; style filiform, 
equalling the stamens, horizontal, trifurcate, often unequally so, the branches 
truncate and stigmatose at apex internally. Capsule coriaceous, septicidally 3- 
valved ; seeds globose, dark red and shining. 
Habitat: Navau: Sea coast only. Wood, 1583; Plant, 19; Gerrard, 736. 
Drawn from plants in flower, Berea, January, 1906. 
A very handsome plant well known in cultivation in Europe where it is much 
admired, but the roots are said to be very poisonous. A peculiarity in this plant 
worth notice is the very abrupt bending of the style almost at right angles. Of 
this genus there are 5 known species, the above described one being the only one 
indigenous to Natal; in Tropical Africa the whole of the 5 species are found, one 
of which is also found in Tropical Asia, and G. virescens is also found in Madagas- 
car. The genus was formerly known as Methonica, and our plant has been known 
as M. virescens; M. virescens var. Plantii; M. Petersiana and M. platyphylla. 
Fig. 1, tuberous rootstock; 2, a stamen; 3, pistil; 4, cross section of ovary; 
5, capsule; fig. 1 and 5 natural size, 2, 3, and 4 enlarged. 
