Volume 3 — PLATE CXCV. HYPOXIS OBLIQUA. Oblique-leaved Hypoxis.

CLASS VI. ORDER I.

HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Six Chives. One Pointal.

ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.

Corolla sex-partita, persistens, supera. Capsula basi angustior. Spatha bivalvis.

Blossom six-parted, remaining, above. Capsule narrower at the base. Sheath two-valved.

See Hypoxis stellata. Pl. CI. Vol. II.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Hypoxis scapo subtrifloro, piloso, longitudine foliorum; pedunculis flore triplo longioribus; foliis lineari-lanceolatis, oblique flexis, glabris; radice fibrosa.

Hypoxis with mostly three flowers on the stem, which is hairy, the length of the leaves; foot-stalks three times the length of the flower; leaves linearly lance-shaped, obliquely bent downward, smooth; root fibrous.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. A Petal of the Blossom, with its Chive, as attached to its base.

2. The Seed-bud, on its foot-stalk, with a part of the tube of the blossom, to which the Chives are fixed.

3. The Seed-bud, Shaft and Summit, magnified.

This species of Hypoxis is from the Cape of Good Hope; and, we believe, solely in the possession of G. Hibbert, Esq. Clapham; from whose collection our drawing was made, in June, this year, 1801. It appears to be a hardy green-house plant; but, is certainly more curious than handsome, and, from its general character, we should judge the propagation would be from the root.

Professor Jacquin has given the Hypoxis Obliqua in his Icones Plantarum Rariorum, 2. t. 371; and in his Supplement to the Collectanea, 54; but, we must suppose from a more vigorous specimen than ours; as, the appearance of a woolly character, at the margin of the leaves, was not to be traced in our plant, although every other part is exact. Wherefore, we have retained his name, though we have rejected the latter part of his specific character, to introduce one, which we consider, of more consequence, as opposed to those with bulbous roots, this being fibrous.