Haemanthus insignis Hooker 1853

Gen. Char. Perigonium superum, corollaceum, limbo 6-partito, regulari, de- ciduo; tubo recto; laciniis angustis, 1-3-nerviis, æqualibus, erectis vel stel- lato-patentibus. Stamina 6, summo tubo inserta, erecta, exserta; alterna (peta- lina?) longiora. Filamenta filiformia. Antheræ oblongæ, utrinque bifidæ, dorso supra basin affixæ. Ovarium inferum, triloculare; ovula in loculis solitaria vel gemia, collateralia, pendula (pauca e loculorum angulo centrali adscendentia vel pendula, Endl.), anatropa. Columna stylina filiformis, recta. Stigma simplex, obsolete trilobum vel trifidum. Bacca globosa vel oblonga, abortu 1-3-locularis. Semina in loculis solitaria, loculum replentia; testa membranacea, adnata; raphe immersa; hilum basilare chalazæ apicali discolori jungens. Embryo minimus, in basi albuminis dense carnosi; extremitate radiculari hilum attingente. - Herbæ, paucis Africanis tropicis exeptis, Capenses, bulbiferæ, scapigeræ, glabræ vel pubescentes; bulbo tunicato, sæpius bifariam squamoso; folia pauca, sæpius, bina, coriacea, crassiscula, plerumque plana, orbiculata, erecta vel humistrata, rarius angusta, elongata, canaliculata, rarissime petiolata, oblonga, petiolis vaginantibus. Scapus brevis, solidus, plerumqe compressus, basi sæpius bracteis duabus radi- calibus interdum coloratis stipatus, multiflorus. Flores crebri, pedicellati, umbel- lati, erecti, bracteis angustis ramentaceis interstincti. Spatha ut plurimum poly- phylla, foliolis erectis, coloratis, umbella longioribus, rarius diphylla vel reflexa. Kth. ex Endl.

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HÆMANTHUS insigis ; elata subcaulescens, foliis pluribus oblongis submembra- naceis inferne longe oylindraceo-vaginatis, vaginis inferne punctato-maculatis, scapo caulis foliiferi prope basin orto inferne tereti maculato superne con- presso-angulato, involucri polyphylli bracteis amplis foliaceis exterioribus umbella longioribus, floribus numerosissimis, perianthii laciniis erectis.

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A truly fine and handsome plant. Bulbs were sent to us from Natal, through the kindness of the Rev. Mr. Rouper, of Wichhall, near Brighton. The near ally of this is H. puniceus, most un- satisfactorily figured in Bot. Mag. t. 1315, much worse in Re- douté's Liliacées, tab. 320, and very faithfully in Trew, Ehret. t. 44, and to H. magnificus, if we may judge by Mr. Herbert having formerly called it H. puniceus, var. magnifica; that is, it belongs OCTOBER 1ST, 1853.

to the group or section having " folia cylindraceo-vaginantia undu- lata, limbus erectus." Our species is at once known by its large size, and the great length of the very foliaceous involucre. It flowered with us in August, 1853, in a cool frame. DESCR. From a large bulb arises a stout spotted cylindrical stem, formed by the sheathing elongated base of several large, oblong, rather acute, waved, membranaceous leaves, in perfection along with the flowers. From near the base of the stem, in the axil of some imperfectly developed leaves, the stout peduncle ap- pears, spotted and cylindrical at the base, compressed and angled above. Umbel of very numerous, erect, orange-coloured, shortly pedicelled flowers, very compact, and surrounded by a many- leaved involucre; outer leaves, or bracteas, resembling true leaves, much longer than the umbel, inner bracteas smaller. Bracteoles at the base of the pedicels small, subulate. Perianth infundibu- liform, cut more than half (nearly two-thirds) of the way down, into six, linear laciniæ, slightly unguiculate at the point. Sta- mens six; filaments longer than the perianth, subulate. Anthers oblong, subsagittate. Ovary trigonal, adnate with the base of the perianth. Style a little longer than the stamens. Stigma of three very small lobes.

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Fig. 1. Flower and bracteole. 2. Pistil: - magnified.