Leaves in threes, linear, obtuse, furrowed beneath; the younger ones erect, pubescent; the older expanded, or recurved, and villose; all of them furnished with short footstalks pressed to the branches.
Flowers in twos to fours, but chiefly in threes; bowing, terminating the lateral branches, with coloured peduncles longer than the empalement.
Empalement 4-leaved, with the leaflets awl-shaped, ciliated, and furnished at the base with three close-pressed floral leaves.
Blossom cylindrical, an inch long, curved, viscous, shining, deep bright red, but towards the apex green, and quadrifid, with the upper parts of the segments spreading.
Chives eight, capillary; tips crested, within the blossom.
Pointal. Germen turban-shaped, furrowed, rather attenuated downwards, green; shaft thread-shaped, hooked, its lower part rosy, but towards the apex green; summit likewise green, and bluntly four-cornered.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.
Flowers from June until September.
REFERENCE.
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1. The Empalement with its peduncle. 2. The Chives detached, with one tip magnified. 3. The Seed-bud and Pointal, with the summit magnified. 4. The Seed-bud magnified[Pg 249]. |