Plate 34.
WITSENIA MAURA.
Cape Province.
Iridaceae. Tribe Sisyrinchieae.
Witsenia, Thunb.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. iii. p. 701.
Witsenia maura, Thunb. Nov. Gen. pl. p. 34; Fl. Cap. vol. vi. p. 46.
This interesting plant, the only species known in the genus, was first found by Dr. Carl Thunberg at Noordhoek and False Bay on the Cape Peninsula and described by him in 1782. It appears to be confined to damp habitats in the Cape Province, and has been found by the late Dr. Bolus at Houw Hoek in Caledon Division. It has also been recorded from the Tradouw Mountains in Swellendam Division, and this year (1920) Mr. T. P. Stokoe has discovered the plant on the Klein River Mountains near Caledon. It is a rare species and would only interest enthusiastic cultivators on account of its rarity.