THE I XI A AND ALLIED PLANTS. 
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of a foot high ; the flowers in a dense bunch 
at the top, of a dark orange yellow. Flowers 
in May. 
Ixia crateroid.es (crater-like Ixia). — This 
grows at the Cape, in sandy spots, near the 
Twenty -four rivers. The leaves are narrow ; 
the stem about a foot high ; the flowers, two 
or three at the top of the stem, dark crimson. 
Flowers in July. 
Ixia crispa (curled-leaved Ixia). — A small 
and slender species, with the leaves much un- 
dulated and waved on the margin, giving 
them a pretty curled or crisped appearance ; 
the stem about nine inches high ; the flowers 
round, rose-coloured. Flowers in June. 
Ixia clubia (doubtful Ixia). — This has red 
flowers, and grows nine inches high. Flowers 
in April and May. 
Ixia erecta (upright Ixia). — Allied to I. 
maculata, differing chiefly in not having the 
dark stain in the centre. The flowers are 
white. Flowers in June. There are varieties 
with flesh-coloui'ed, with orange-yellow, and 
with greenish flowers ; and another with paler 
yellow flowers, very sweet-scented. 
Ixia jlexuosa (flexuose Ixia). — The leaves 
sharp pointed ; the stem from one to two feet 
high ; flowers flesh-coloured. Blooms in April. 
There are varieties with white flowers, white 
with red streaks, white with purple eye, red, 
and violet flowers. 
Ixiafurcata (stained Ixia). — Native of the 
Cape. It has pink flowers, and grows about 
sis inches high. Flowers in April and May. 
Ixia hybrida (spurious Ixia). — The flowers 
are blush-coloured ; grows nearly two feet 
high. Flowers from May to July. 
Ixia incarnata (flesh-coloured Ixia). — The 
flowers are pale pink or flesh-coloured. It 
grows from a foot to a foot and a half high. 
Flowers from May to July. 
Ixia leucantha (white-flowered Ixia,). — The 
flowers of this species are white, and the 
plant grows to as much as two feet high. 
Flowers from May to July. 
Ixia linearis (linear-leaved Ixia). — This 
has long narrow leaves, and white flowers, 
and blooms in April and May. It grows six 
inches high. 
Ixia mactdata (spotted Ixia). — This is 
found at the Cape, by the sides of rivers and 
brooks. It is a large growing species, with 
long leaves, and a flower-stem varying in the 
different varieties from one to three or four 
feet high, and with from six to twenty and 
thirty flowers ; the flowers of the species are 
white, with a brown stain at the base : the 
variety viridis has greenish flowers, with the 
dark stain, and a very large growth : the 
variety ochroleuca is more dwarf, and has 
pale yellow flowers with a brown stain : 
the variety amethystina, has whitish flowers 
tinged with blue, and a black centre. Flowers 
in April, May, and June. 
Ixia monadelpha (monadelphous Ixia). — 
This species grows about a foot high ; the 
flowers large, spreading, blueish purple, with 
a crimson margin round the eye. Flowers in 
April and May. There is a variety called 
curta, with large crocus-like orange-coloured 
flowers. 
Ixia ovata (ovate-spiked Ixia). — This has 
white and purple-spotted flowers, and grows 
about a foot high. Flowers from May to 
July. 
Ixia patens (spreading-flowered Ixia). — 
The leaves of this are broad ; the stem about 
two feet high ; the flowers large, spreading, 
light crimson red. Flowers in April. 
Ixia polystachia (lily-of-the-valley-scented 
Ixia). — Allied to I. scillaris, but with a taller 
and more slender habit. The flowers are 
pretty — deep pink or rose-coloured, and fra- 
grant. Flowers in May. 
Ixia retusa (retuse Ixia). — This has light 
rose-coloured flowers, and grows two feet 
high and upwards. Flowers from May to 
July. 
Ixia scillaris (squill-flowered Ixia). — The 
leaves are short, rather broad ; the stem from 
a foot to a foot and a half high ; the colour of 
the flowers varying, some purple, some rose, 
some pink, some whitish. Flowers in January. 
The variety called latifolia has broader leaves, 
and a spike of pretty rose-cloured flowers. 
Ixia viridijlora (green-flowered Ixia). — 
It is a strong growing bulb, two feet and 
upwards in height, with grass- like leaves, and 
a long spike of large flowers ; they are of a 
peculiar and pretty watery-green colour, with 
a juirplish- black centre. Flowers in June. 
BABIANA. 
Babianas are all dwarfish plants, with rather 
broad sword-shaped leaves, and flowers some- 
thing like those of the Ixia ; they are very 
pretty plants, all natives of the Cape. The 
name is derived from babianer, because the 
roots are the favourite food of baboons. 
Babiana angustifolia (narrows-leaved Ba- 
biana). — This has dark blue flowers from 
May to July, and grows six inches to one 
foot high. 
Babiana disiicha (two-ranked Babiana). 
— Flowers lilac, or pale blue, from May to 
July; grows nine inches high ; the flowers 
are scented, like those of hyacinths. 
Babiana mucronata (macronate Babiana). 
— This has purple flowers, which are pro- 
duced in May ; grows nine inches high. 
Babiana nana (dwarf Babiana). — This has 
blue flowers, and grows six inches high. 
Flowers in April. 
Babiana ochroleuca (cream-coloured Ba- 
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