Plate 43. 



HESSBA Zeyheei. 



Cape Province, Little Namaqualand. 



Amaryllidaceae. Tribe Amaryllideae. 

 Hessea, Herl.; Benth. et Hook.f. Gen. Plant, vol. iii. p. 720. 



Hessea Zeyheri, Baler, Handl. Amaryllid. p. 23; Fl. Cap. vol. vi. p. 191. 



This is a very rare species here figured for the first time. 

 It was discovered by Carl Zeyher at Hardeveld in little 

 Namaqualand about the year 1847, and appears to have been 

 unrecorded since then until recently collected by Mr. E. B. 

 Watermeyer. The genus Hessea is endemic to South Africa, 

 and contains nine species found in the Cape Province, Little 

 Namaqualand, and one species from the Transvaal. Hitherto 

 none has been recorded from Natal or the Orange Free 

 State. Our specimen differs slightly from the original 

 described in the " Flora Capensis " in having three rather 

 shorter leaves contemporary with the flowers. At first the 

 style is short, but elongates as the flowers mature. 



Our illustration was prepared from a drawing by Miss M. 

 Page of specimens which flowered in April at the National 

 Botanic Gardens, Kirstenbosch (No. 1157/16), and collected 

 by Mr. E. B. Watermeyer, Nieuwoudtville, Calvinia Division. 

 The drawing has been kindly loaned by the Curator of the 

 Bolus Herbarium. 



Description : — Bulb 5 cm. long, 3 '5 cm. in diameter, sub- 

 globose, produced above into a short neck. Leaves 3, contem- 

 porary with the -flowers, 5-5-1T5 cm. long, 0-8-16 cm. broad, 

 strap-shaped, obtuse, narrowing and channelled at the base. 

 Peduncle arising at the side of the leaves, about 10 cm. long, 

 flattened. Spat he-valves 2 cm. long, linear, acuminate. Inflo- 

 rescence an umbel of about 25 flowers. Pedicels 2-3 cm. long. 

 Perianth tube 3 mm. long ; segments about 1 cm. long, oblong- 

 lanceolate, obtuse, united to the staminal tube by the midrib. 

 Stamens of two different lengths, the filaments united below 

 into a tube 4 mm. long ; free portions of filaments 8 mm. and 



