Plate 53. ANDROCYMBIUM melanthioides. Cape Province, Natal, Transvaal.

Liliaceae. Tribe Anguillarieae.

Androcymbium, Willd.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. iii. p. 822.

Androcymbium melanthioides, Willd. in Ges. Naturf. fr. Berl. Mag. vol. ii. p. 21; Fl. Cap. vol. vi. p. 517.

The genus Androcymbium is represented by about eighteen species, two of which are known from the Mediterranean Region and two from Tropical Africa, the remainder of the species being confined to South Africa.

Our plate was prepared from specimens collected by Dr. I. B. Pole Evans at Silverton, near Pretoria, in May, 1921, and represents the best known and most widely distributed species of the genus. The plant shows the characteristic habit of all the species, viz. stemless, with the flower head hidden by large bracts which may be white, green, or purplish. In cultivation it does not lend itself to planting out, but makes a striking and pleasing object when placed singly in pots.

Specimens of the plant figured are preserved in the National Herbarium, Pretoria (Herb. No. 1451).

Description:—A stemless plant. Bulb about 1·5 cm. in diameter, globose, covered with more or less hardened black tunics. Leaves 2-3, 14-22 cm. long, linear from an ovate base, acutely acuminate, glabrous. Bracts white or purplish, several, 3-8·5 cm. long, ·8-3·5 cm. broad, oblong, ovate-oblong or ovate, obtuse or sometimes apiculate at the apex, sometimes acuminate, many nerved (up to 50-nerved). Head about 6-flowered, hidden and overtopped by the bracts. Bracts subtending the flowers about 3·5 cm. long, lanceolate, acute, 5-nerved. Pedicel 3 mm. long, 2·5 mm. broad above, obovoid, fleshy. Perianth segments produced into a distinct claw; claw 5 mm. long, 1 mm. broad, with a more or less distinct keel; blade 6 mm. long, 3 mm. broad, ovate, cucullate, acuminate, 3-keeled. Stamens inserted at the junction of the claw and blade; filaments 9 mm. long, terete; anthers 3 mm. long, elliptic. Ovary 6 mm. long, 2·5 mm. in diameter, ellipsoid, subtrigonous; styles free, 8 mm. long, terete; stigma simple,

Plate 53.—Fig. 1, plant viewed from above (reduced); Fig. 2, inflorescence; Fig. 3, flower with bract; Fig. 4, perianth segment with stamen, front view; Fig. 5, perianth segment with stamen, side view; Fig. 6, gynaecium.

F.P.S.A., 1922.

S. Gower del.