
Refugium Botanicum.| [June, 1878. 
TAB. 353. 
Natural Order Liu1Acrea. 
Tribe ASPARAGEX. 
Genus Dracmna, Vand. 
D. vatiroi1a (Regel, Revis. p. 41). Caule fruticoso simplici, foliis 
40—50 dense rosulatis ligulatis coriaceo-carnosis reflexis bi- 
pedalibus sessilibus 8—4 poll. latis viridibus obscure maculatis 
distincte hyalino marginatis carina lata ab dorso solum per- 
spicua, floribus geminatis vel ternatis pedicellatis in paniculam 
amplam deltoideam dispositis, perianthio viridi 12—15 lin. 
longo, segmentis tubo equilongis, staminibus inclusis, stig- 
mate exserto. 
A native of South Africa. 
Stem erect, simple, reaching the height of a yard in the finest 
specimen seen, and a thickness of three inches. Leaves forty to 
fifty in a dense rosette at the summit of the stem, ligulate, 
coriaceo-carnose, acute, much recurved, two feet long, three to 
four inches broad at the middle, narrowed to two inches above 
the base, bright green faintly mottled with paler spots, bordered 
by a distinct hyaline margin, the broad midrib distinctly visible 
only from below. Flowers very fragrant, m a sessile deltoid 
panicle two feet high, with ten or a dozen erecto-patent branches 
subtended by reduced leaves, in twos or threes together, on 
pedicels one-eighth to one-fourth of an inch long, subtended by 
small lanceolate membranous bracts. Perianth tubular, green, 
an inch to an inch and a quarter long; divisions ligulate, as long 
as the tube. Stamens uniseriate, from the throat of the tube, 
rather shorter than the segments. Ovary with three uniovulate 
cells ; style filiform ; stigma capitate, three-lobed, slightly exserted. 
Fruit a large deeply three-lobed berry. 
Tas. 358.—1, whole plant, much reduced. 2, leaf ; 8, portion of 
panicle: both natural size. 4, single flower; 5, pistil: both mag- 
nified.— J. G. B. 7 
This fine plant has flowered at Hillfield, and 1 have grown it 
for some years. ‘The figure, however, is from a plant in the 
Royal Gardens at Kew. A warm greenhouse treatment, with a 
liberal supply of water, and not exposed to the sun, suits the 
plant well. It should be potted in good loam and leaf-mould, 
and, as it ripens its seeds freely, there 1s no difficulty in propa- 
gating it. Mr. Thos. Cooper sent me this plant from South 
Africa, where he states it is found in shady woods, and in no 
other situation—W. W.S. 

