Leaves grow by fours, linear, blunt, almost three-sided, thickish, very short foot-stalks, which are pressed to the stem.

Flowers grow in umbels, at the end of the larger and smaller branches, nodding, all pointing one way, and are purple; foot-stalks thrice the length of the flowers, coloured, and three small floral leaves upon them.

Empalement. Cup four-leaved, leaflets small, pressed to the blossom, fringed and awl-shaped.

Blossom approaching to bell-shape; the lower part flat, and purple; the segments of the border are blunt and rather upright

Chives. Eight hair-like threads, turned inwards at the upper part. Tips crested, deep purple, and within the blossom.

Pointal. Seed-bud turban-shaped, furrowed, glandular at the base. Shaft longer than the chives, without the blossom. Summit four-cornered and greenish.

Native of the Cape of Good Hope.

Flowers from August, till December.

REFERENCE.

1. The Empalement, and Blossom.
2. The Empalement, magnified.
3. The Blossom.
4. The Chives, and Pointal.
5. The Chives detached from the Pointal, one Tip magnified.
6. The Pointal, magnified.[Pg 129]