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GLADIOLUS nataleiisis.
Natal Corn-Flag.
Linnean Class and Order. T R IA N D R IA MONOGYNIA.
N a tu ra l Order. IR ID EÆ . Brown prodr. 1. p. 302.
G L A D IO L U S . Suprà fol. 140.
G. ma ia/ensis, perianthii laciniis ellipticis abruptè mucronatis ; ^3 superioribus
maximis in galeam conniventibus : fauce ventrieosâ 6-sulcata, spatba interiore
biseuspidatâ tubo longiore.
Gladiolus natalensis. Reinw. MSS.
G. psittacinus. Hooker in bot. mag. t. 3032. Lindl. in bot. reg. t. 1442.
Stems straight, cylindrical, glaucous green, 3 feet or more
in height, and about the thickness of one’s finger. Leaves
rather broad, ensiform, acuminate, erect, of a grass green,
dark purple at the base, about two or three feet long, with
four or five prominent pale ribs, and a white cartilaginous
border. Flowers the largest of the genus, of a deep orange
scarlet, mottled with yellow, about four inches long, disposed
in a terminal spike. Spathes two, convolute, broadly lanceolate,
pointed, pale green, striated, considerably longer than
the tube, the inner one shorter, and cloven at the top. Tithe
o f the perianthium of a pale green, angular, stained with
purple, ventricose and furrowed above, with six broad elevated
rounded ridges. Faux about the length of the tube.
Segments three upper ones broadly elliptical, abruptly bristle-
pointed, connivent in the form of a helmet, lower one of the
same shape and colour, but smaller; inner pair four or five
times smaller, paler, with a longer point. Filaments three,
triquetrous, glabrous, pale yellow, curved. Anthers linear-
VOL. I I I . Y