Plate 35. 



CYRTANTHUS obliquus. 



Cape Province, Natal. 



Amaryllidacbae. Tribe Amarylleae. 

 Cyrtanthus, Ait. ; Benth. et Hooh.f. Gen. Plant, vol iii. p. 729. 



Cyrtanthus obliquus, Ait. ; Hort. Kew. vol i. p. 414 ; Fl. Cap. vol. vi. 

 p. 219 ; Wood, Natal Plants, vol. iv. t. 391. 



This beautiful Cyrtanthus was described by Aiton in 1789, 

 probably from plants collected in South Africa by Masson, 

 who sent specimens of this species to England in 1774. The 

 fact that it has been so frequently figured is an indication 

 that it has appealed largely to horticulturists. Jacquin first 

 produced a coloured plate in 1797 and the last figure we 

 know of in botanical literature is that quoted above. 



The specimens from which the present plate was prepared 

 flowered in the Gardens of the Division of Botany, Pretoria, 

 from bulbs gathered on the mountains at Bethelsdorp near 

 Port Elizabeth by Dr. I. B. Pole Evans. 



In Natal this plant is known as " Justifina " or " Sore- 

 eye flower" by the natives, who use it medicinally, as 

 "Matoonga." 



Description : — Bulb globose, about 10 cm. in diameter, with 

 a short neck about 4 cm. long, and thick cylindrical roots from 

 the base ; outer tunics membranous. Leaves 18 cm. long, 4 cm. 

 broad, strap-shaped, obtuse, glabrous. Peduncle 28 cm. long, 

 1-3 cm. in diameter at the base, cylindric, tapering slightly 

 towards the apex, hollow, glabrous. Inflorescence an umbel of 

 6 flowers. Bracts 3 cm. long, 1 cm. broad, ovate, sub-acuminate, 

 acute. Pedicels 2 cm. long, cylindric, glabrous. Flowers pen- 

 dulous. Perianth-tube 4*5 cm. long, 2 cm. in diameter at the 

 throat, funnel-shaped ; outer lobes 2*5 cm. long, 1*4 cm. broad, 

 oblong, slightly mucronate; inner lobes 2*4 cm. long, 1*7 cm. 

 broad, obovate, obtuse, green, passing into yellow and red at 

 their base. Stamens arising from near the base of the perianth- 

 tube ; filaments 3 cm. long, cylindric ; anthers 4 mm. long, 



