The buds just before the flowers open are between 3 and 4 cm. long, and in about four days are completely open, and then a little over 4 cm. long. The stamens do not all ripen at the same time; two or three project and shed their pollen, being followed after a short interval by the remainder. While the stamens are dehiscing the style remains within the perianth and lengthens only after the pollen has been shed. It then projects beyond the perianth, which now begins to wither and close tightly round the style. While this is taking place the filaments contract by twisting and are drawn back into the perianth. The inclusion of the style during the dehiscence of the anthers and its subsequent projection ensures cross-pollination. Our plate was prepared from specimens growing in the Aloe collection at the Division of Botany, Pretoria. DESCRIPTION:--An acaulescent plant or with a short stem with a rosette of leaves. _Leaves_ up to 20 cm. long, about 8 cm. broad, dark green with dark longitudinal marking on the upper surface, lighter green and faintly spotted beneath, acuminate, usually brown and withered at the tip, with spines on the margins; spines 8 mm. long, about 1·5 cm. apart and more or less at right angles to the leaf. _Inflorescence_ ·3-·5 m. high, simple or branched. _Peduncle_ terete with a few dry membranous acuminate bracts. Flowers in a contracted raceme. _Floral bracts_ 1·5-2·5 cm. long, long-acuminate from an ovate-lanceolate base. _Pedicels_ 2·5-4 cm. long, terete. _Perianth-tube_ 3·3 cm. long, 9 mm. in diameter above, gradually narrowing below and dilated into a globose base; segments 1 cm. long, ·5 cm. broad, oblong, obtuse, slightly reflexed in the mature flower. _Filaments_ in buds 2·4 cm. long, linear, in mature flowers lengthening to 3·5 cm. and becoming corrugated in the upper half. _Ovary_ 8 mm. long, cylindric; style 2·5 cm. long, cylindric, lengthening in older flowers to 3·8 cm.; stigma simple (National Herb. Pretoria 2593). * * * * * PLATE 96.--Fig. 1, perianth-lobes; Fig. 2, stamens; Fig. 3, pistil; Fig. 4, tip of style, much enlarged. F.P.S.A., 1923. [Illustration: 97. M. Page del.] PLATE 97. SYNNOTIA METELERKAMPIAE. _Cape Province._ IRIDACEAE. Tribe IXIEAE. SYNNOTIA, _Sweet._; _Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant._ vol. iii. p. 709. =Synnotia Metelerkampiae=, _L. Bolus_ in _Annals Bolus Herb._ vol. iii. p. 77. The genus _Synnotia_ is one of the endemic genera of the family _Iridaceae_, and has hitherto only been represented by two species. The species here figured is a new record for the genus in South Africa. On Plate 60 we figured a species of _Sparaxis_, and a comparison of that plate with the present one will show that the two genera _Sparaxis_ and _Synnotia_ are nearly related: the rootstock, inflorescence, and spathe valves are the same in both, but the former has regular flowers, while in the latter genus the flowers are irregular.