ORTHROSANTHUS multiflorus.
Many-flowered Morning flower.
Linnean Class and Order. TRIANDRIA MONOGYNIA.
Natural Order. IRIDE^E. Brown prodr. 302.
ORTHROSANTHUS. Spatha multiflorabivalviscarinata, raargine scariosamem-
branacea. Perianthium petaloidenm, hypocrateriforme: tubo brevissimo triangulari:
limbo sexpartito, laciniis ajqualibus. Stamina 3, filamenta infra conuata, basi lacinia-
rum exteriorum inserta. Stigmata 3, filiformia, basi dilatata, apice obtusa, fimbriata.
Capsula oblonga, trigona. Semina numcrosa*
O. multiflorus, foliis lineari-ensiformibus striatis glabris,floris. scapo ramoso, spathis multi-
A close tufted perennial herbaceous plant, producing numerous
offsets or suckers at the base, which are furnished with short
fleshy roots above the ground. Leaves numerous, distichous, linearly
ensiform, acute, smooth, slightly glaucous, striated with numerous
small longitudinal lines, sheathing at the base, where the
margins are membranaceous, from 6 to 15 inches long, and about
5 lines broad. Scape about the length of the leaves, alittle branched,
nearly cylindrical or a little flattened, flexuose between the
flowers, smooth and glossy. Spatha 2-valved, the valves ovate,
sharply keeled, striate, with membranaceous points and margins,
enclosing several flowers. Flowers of a bright azure blue, only
one from each spathe expanding at once, but several opening
for many days in succession, each sheathed at the base by a
membranaceous bracte, and all enclosed in the spathe, before the
flowers expansion. Perianthium petal like, with a short bluntly
triangular fleshy tube, and a salver shaped spreading 6-parted
regular limb : lacinice of the limb equal in size, ovate, striated,
overlapping each other at the edges. Stamens 3, erect: filaments
blue, smooth, slightly connected at the base, and inserted
in the base of the outer laciniae, and decurrent down the tube : anthers linear, erect, two-lobed, divided at the base: pollen