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WITSENIA CORYMBOSA. 
(corymbose WITSENIA.) 
CLASS. ORDER. 
TRIANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. 
NATURAL ORDER, 
IRIDEiE. 
Generic Character Corolla tubular ; limb six-parted. Stigma marginate, or slightly trifid. Capsule 
three-celled, many-seeded. 
Specific Character. — Plant an evergreen greenhouse perennial, growing more than a foot high, with 
corymbose smooth flowers. 
This, although long known to our collections, is by no means a despicable 
plant ; on the contrary, when in llower, in which state it is generally seen about 
August or September, it makes a conspicuous figure in the greenhouse, with its 
rather small, lively bright blue flowers, produced in dense corymbs at the extremity 
of the principal shoots, which, contrasted with the green lance-shaped leaves at 
their base, render it at all times worthy of a place in every collection. 
It was introduced some years ago from the Cape of Good Hope, and although 
found in many of the collections of this country, it is, comparatively speaking, rare 
to meet with plants in a free growing state ; the fact is, it may be looked upon 
as one of the many that require particularly steady attention in cultivation. Plants 
at Chatsworth are treated after the following manner : — The plants, in the first place, 
are allowed plenty of room in the pots, which are well drained ; after which, rather 
sandy peat soil is used, and when growing, a good supply of water is given ; but 
in the winter they require scarcely any. In the greenhouse they require to have 
plenty of light, and stand free of other plants, but they do not like to be exposed to 
a direct current of air, so that they never should stand very near the place where 
air is admitted. 
