Leaves growing generally in sixes, linear, bent backward and spreading, plain on their upper, and rolled back on their under, surface, sharp-pointed, inflexible, with short leaf-stalks pressed closely to the stem.
Flowers grow in whorls, nearly at the top of the branches, of a fine light purple, and furnished with very short foot-stalks.
Empalement. Cup four-leaved, which are of an oblong-oval shape, upright, and pointed; with two floral-leaves close to it.
Blossom tubular, with an incurved base, gradually widening towards the mouth, which is cut into four equal, spreading lobes.
Chives. Eight hair-like threads, fixed in the receptacle. Tips beardless, without the blossom, and deeply divided.
Pointal. Seed-vessel turban-shaped. Shaft thread-shaped, longer than the threads. Summit four-cornered.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
In bloom from July till December.
REFERENCE.
| 1. The Empalement with the Blossom. |
| 2. The Empalement and Floral-leaves magnified. |
| 3. The Chives and Pointal. |
| 4. The Chives detached from the Pointal, one tip magnified. |
| 5. The Shaft and its Summit magnified. |