Plate 45. WATSONIA Galpinii. Cape Province.

Iridaceae. Tribe Ixieae.

Watsonia, Mill.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. viii. p. 705.

Watsonia Galpinii, L. Bolus. Ann. Bolus Herb. vol. iii. p. 11.

We have pleasure in figuring in this number, through the kindness of the Curator of the Bolus Herbarium, our first species of one of the most popular of South African genera, namely, Watsonia. Species of this genus have long been known in European Gardens, where they were introduced by the early botanical collectors from the Cape. The genus is represented in South Africa by about twenty species, and with the exception of a species which occurs in Madagascar, are confined to the sub-continent. The Watsonias lend themselves to hybridising, and some very fine garden hybrids have been produced.

The species here figured was first discovered by Mr. E. E. Galpin at Lottering Bush, Zitzikama (Galpin No. 4698), and re-collected at Knysna by Miss A. V. Duthie, who sent corms to the National Botanic Gardens, where they flowered in March, 1919 (No. 239/18).

The general name of “pijpie” is applied to almost all species of Watsonia and also to some species of Gladiolus.

Description:—Corm 2 cm. in diameter, depressed-globose, oblique at the base. Stem 75 cm. long, racemose. Leaves 4-8, radical, up to 35 cm. long, 1-1·5 cm. broad, linear, acute, acuminate, with the median and marginal nerves somewhat subprominent. Inflorescence simple or branched. Spathe-valves herbaceous or submembranous at the apex; the outer 0·6-3·2 cm. long, lanceolate, setaceous acuminate; the inner 0·8-1·4 cm. long, ovate or broadly ovate, acuminate. Perianth-tube 2 cm. long, constricted about the middle; the lower half filiform, scarcely 1·5 mm. in diameter; the upper half infundibuliform, 7 mm. in diameter near the throat; lobes spreading, 1·5 cm. long; the outer up to 8 mm. broad, suboblong, subacute, minutely apiculate; the inner 1 cm. broad, oblong-obovate. Stamens almost as long as the perianth lobes; anthers 9 mm. long. Ovary about 5 mm. long, subobconic; style 2·9 cm. long; primary branches 9 mm. long; stigmas about 2 mm. long. Fruit 1 cm. long, obconic.

Mrs. Bolus remarks, “Distinguished from the rest of the section ‘Eu-Watsonia’ by the more slender habit, the smaller spathe-valves, the shorter perianth-tube and relatively long segments.”

Plate 45.—Fig. 1, flower, perianth laid open; Fig. 2, portion of fruiting spike; Fig. 3, capsule, dehisced, about natural size; Fig. 4, seed × 2.

F.P.S.A., 1922.

S. Gower del.