Description:—Stem short decumbent with a dense rosette of leaves. Leaves somewhat incurved, up to 24 cm. long, up to 4 cm. broad near the base, lanceolate, acuminate, ending in a sharp spine, convex beneath, flat or slightly convex above, with the margins covered with prickles and a few prickles on the keel beneath near the apex; prickles about 1·2 cm. apart, straight or slightly incurved. Inflorescence branched into two arms; the common peduncle about 10 cm. long, bluntly 3-angled, naked; peduncle of arms up to lowermost flowers 9 cm. long, covered with a few membranous ovate acuminate bracts; raceme 15 cm. long, many-flowered. Pedicels 8 mm. long, erect. Youngest flowers tubular, erect, becoming later horizontal and at length pendulous and then[{128}] clavate. Perianth-tube 1·8 cm. long, widening from the base upwards; inner lobes 1·2 cm. long, 8 mm. broad, lanceolate, obtuse, usually 5-nerved; outer lobes 1·6 cm. long, 8 mm. broad, oblong-lanceolate, obtuse, concave usually 3-nerved. Stamens 3·5 cm. long, at first included, at length exserted. Ovary 8 mm. long, 3-angled; style 1·6 cm. long, terete; stigma minute (National Herb. 2845).
Plate 151.—Fig. 1, flower; Fig. 2, median longitudinal section of flower; Fig. 3, perianth-segments; Fig. 4, stamen; Fig. 5, style.
F.P.S.A., 1924.
Plate 152.
MONTBRETIA CROCOSMAEFLORA.
Transvaal.