15i.
l- i
155
GLADIOLUS Colvillii.
ColvilVs Corn-fiag.
Natural Order. I r i d e æ . Brown p ro d r .l. p . 362.
G L A D IO LU S . Spatha 2-\SiUis, valvula exterioiTanceolata,
concava, integerrima. Perianthium basi tubulosum : limbus 6-
partitus, irregularis, vel subregularis. Stamina 3, adscendentia ;
anthera parallelæ. Stigmata 3, sursum dilatata, complicata, demum
canaliculato-explicata. Capsula ovata, oblonga, subtrigona,
lenta. Semina numerosa, alata.
G. Colvillii, foliis lineari-ensiformibus utrinque costatis glauces-
centibus, tubo perianthii spatha subæquali, laciniis obtusis
margine subinvolutis ; tribus inferioribus macula alba lanceo-
lato-ovata notatis.
Root a bulb-tuber. N im slightly flexuose, in our specimen
about 18 inches in height, leafy, slightly angular,
glaucous. Leaves linearly ensiform, acute, sheathing the
stem, slightly glaucous, strongly nerved in the middle
on both sides, with 2 other less prominent longitudinal
nerves, one on each side, one of which is much stronger
than the other ; at the base, where it sheaths the stem,
furrowed with numerous channels, margins thick and
smooth. Flowers secund, or all facing one side. Spatha
2-valved, lanceolate, acute, the margins scariose or membranaceous
; inner one shortest. Perianthium tubular,
ringent, with a 6-parted spreading limb, of a bright red,
with pale purple margins : tube scarcely as long as the
spathe in the lower flowers, and rather longer in the
upper ones, bent forward near the limb: laciniæ unequal,
obtuse : upper one more than double the size of
the others, elliptic, slightly twisted or incurved near the
point; the others oblong, with the margins also incurved
or involute near the points : three lower ones marked
■ill \
: '■ :
f.'