The genera of South African plants : arranged according to the natural system / by William Henry Harvey.

  • William H. Harvey
Date:
1868
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The genera of South African plants : arranged according to the natural system / by William Henry Harvey. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    470/556
    Stcmless plants, with fascicled roots, -with the habit of Trachyandra, hut readily known by the spirally-twisted, persistent perianth and solitary seeds. The genus was founded on several New Holland species, which ai-e said to have indehiscent seed-vessels. 4 Cape plants have been added, and in C. Thunhergii, R. and S., the capsule is as above described. 27. CYANELLA, Linn. Perianth 6-parted, slightly irregular, deciduous; sepals con- nate at base and adnate to the base of the ovary, widely spreading, the lateral outer sepals 5-uerved, the lower 7-9- nerved, the 3 iuner 3-nerved. Stamens 6,- at the base of the perianth, declinate ; filaments short, glabrous, monadelphous ; antliers of the 5 upper stamens slender (abortive), opening by terminal pores, of the sixth (lowest), stamen large, perfect, splitting longitudinally. Ovary partly inferior; ovules several; style filiform, deflexed; stigma 3-lid. Capsule bluntly 3- angled. Seeds several.—Kunih, 1. c.p. G35. Rlant^ with tubcro-bulbous rools and radical, lanceoluto or linear nerve- striuto leaves, sheathing at base. Scape mostly branched. Flowers on long pedicels, cernuous, ])iirple, rosy, white or yellow, sweet-seented.—C. Capensis, with briglit purple llowcrs, is common, and there are 4 others. GENUS OF DOUBTFUL AFFINITT. 28. ERIOSPERMUM, Jacq. Perianth G-])arted, tirceolate-campanulate, regular, marces- cent; sepals connate at base, 1-nerved, the inner wider and shorter. Stamens G, in the throat of the perianth, much shorter than it; filaments broad, membranous, persistent. Ovary sessile, subglobose; ovules G-8 in each cell; style thickish; stigma obtuse, simple. Capsule membranous, 8- celled, loculicidal. Seeds few, densely covered with soft, woolly hairs.—Kunih, 1. e. p. G-19. Stcmless plants, with largo, unshapely, tuberous roots. Loaves mostly a]ipearing before the llowcrs, pctioled, with a broad lamina, coriaceous, nerved. Scapes emerging after the leaves, simple, nude, racemose at the summit; pedicels elongate, not jointed to the perianth.—8 or 9 species. Teibe 4. METuoNiCEiE. (Gcn. 29-31.) 29. METHONICA, Herm. Perianth G-parted, marcescent-persistent; sepals distinct, lanceolate, narrowed at base, undulate, without nectary, re- flexed. Stamens G, at the base of the sepals, very widely spreading ; filaments long, filiform, straight. Ovary sessile, obliquely oblong, 3-celled; ovules numerous; style filiform, strongly bent backw-ards ; stigmas 3, long, narrow, channelled, patent-recurved. Capsule turbinate, coriaceous, 3-celled,