Albuca with leaves between lance-and sword-shaped: flowers upright, and grow paniculated and level: footstalks very long: blossoms white, with a stripe of green in the centre; the inner petals forming an arch at the end, and enclosing the stamens, which are all fertile.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. One of the flower-props.
2. The chives and pointal.
3. One of the outer chives.
4. One of the inner ones.
5. Seed-bud and pointal.
This genus approaches so near to Ornithogalum, that they may easily be mistaken for each other; the only visible distinction resting in the unexpanding character of the three inner petals, or calyx; for opinions vary with respect to their denomination—Jussieu, an able botanist (through all the divisions of this family), regarding that as the empalement which we, following Linnæus, describe as petals. In the Species Plantarum of Willdenow we find our plant enumerated under the specific title of fastigiata, with a technical description annexed to it. From a plant in the garden of G. Hibbert, esq. about three years ago, we made a drawing of this Albuca, but are inclined to think it rather scarce, not having seen it since that period.[Pg 37]
PLATE CCCCLI.
DIOSMA ERICÆFOLIA.
Heath-leaved Diosma.
CLASS V. ORDER I.