Plate 66. 



FERRARIA antherosa. 



Cape Province. 



Ibidaceae. Tribe Moroeeae. 

 Ferraria, Linn. ; Benth. et Hook.f. Gen. Plant, vol. iii. p. 692. 



Perraria antherosa, Ker. in Bot. Mag. 751 ; Fl. Cap. vol. vi. p. 29. 



Our species was first figured in Curtis' Botanical Magazine 

 in 1804 from a plant which was raised in Salisbury's garden 

 at Brompton, England. It is not at all a well-known plant, 

 as it is only recorded in the Flora Capensis as having been 

 collected by Zeyher in the Clanwilliam District, and by 

 Ecklon at Groenkloof in the Malmesbury District. The 

 plant from which our plate was prepared was sent to the 

 Division of Botany, Pretoria, by Mrs. E. Rood from Van 

 Rhynsdorp. The genus Ferraria is represented in South 

 Africa by six species, and by one species in Angola. The 

 flowers last only for a very short time after opening, but a 

 succession of flowers appears on each plant. None of the 

 species can be called ornamental from a gardener's point of 

 view, but the structure of the flower is very beautiful and the 

 colouring quaint. Plants would only be grown as a botanical 

 curiosity, and not for their beauty. Specimens are preserved 

 in the National Herbarium, Pretoria (Herb. No. 1471). 



Description :— Conns several arranged one on top of the 

 other, discoid, about 3*5 cm. in diameter. Plant about 23 cm. 

 high. Leaves three, 17-26 cm. long, linear and 1 cm. broad 

 above, subacute, equitant and clasping the stem below. Bracts 

 subtending the inflorescences, resembling the leaves. Bracts 

 subtending the ultimate inflorescence 5-8 cm. long, 1*6-2-6 

 cm. broad, elliptic, boat-shaped, with membranous margins. 

 Perianth segments 2*5 cm. long, forming a campanulate portion 

 1*5 cm. long and 1*3 cm. in diameter, then spreading into a 

 horizontal portion ; the spreading portion 1*4 cm. long, 1*4 

 broad, ovate, subacute, with frilled margins. Staminal tube 



