DIMACRIA lanceæfolia.
Spear-leaved Dimacria.
D. lanceæfolia, acaulis, foliis integerrimis v. raro appendi-
culatis undique pilosis; inferioribus ovatis: superiori-
bus lanceolatis utrinque attenuatis, stipulis subulato-
linearibus, umbellis plurifloris composais, pedunculis
calycibusque dense tomentosis pilosis.
Root tuberous, succulent, clothed with a dry rigid shell. Leaves radical, crowning the root, hairy all over, and
bearded at the points, generally entire, but sometimes one
or two of them a little divided near the base : lower ones
ovate and bluntish, the others erect or slightly spreading,
lanceolate, tapering to both ends, acute. Petioles rather
long, clothed with a dense tomentum, and long hairs intermixed.
Scapes leafy, branching, producing many umbels
of flowers. Peduncles cylindrical, also densely to-
mentose and hairy. Umbels generally about 6-flowered. Involucre of several linear, taper-pointed, fringed, woolly
bractes. Calyx densely tomentose, hairy, and bearded with
tufts of long hairs at the points: segments 5, lanceolate,
acute. Nectariferous tube sessile, densely tomentose, a
little longer than the calyx. Petals 5, white, stained with
blush, and marked with light red veins; the two upper
ones largest, spatulate, reflexed from about the middle,
marked at the base with a dark purple patch, which branches
into lines over the petals : lower ones narrower, spreading,
and not marked at the base. Filaments 10, short, connected
at the base, 5 only bearing anthers, two of the filaments
longer than the others. Style very short. Stigmas 5,
purple, reflexed.