Description:--_Stems_ robust, bright green, finely pubescent, prominently ridged, with each ridge ending in a tooth-like leaf. _Flowers_ solitary. _Pedicel_ 5 cm. long, terete, finely pubescent. _Sepals_ 1·1 cm. long, lanceolate, acute, pubescent. _Corolla_ 25 cm. in diameter when expanded; lobes 10 cm. long, 3 cm. broad at the base, ovate, long-attenuate, pubescent without, transversely rugose and with fine purple hairs on the inner face; disc shallowly depressed, covered with long soft purple hairs. _Outer_ corona-lobes oblong; inner corona-lobes deeply cleft, with the outer lobes plate-like and the inner lobes linear. (National Herb., Pretoria, No. 2891.) PLATE 181.--Fig. 1, side view of flower; Fig. 2, corona; Fig. 3, cross-section through stem. F.P.S.A., 1925. [Illustration: 182.] PLATE 182. GLADIOLUS CRUENTUS. _Natal, Basutoland._ IRIDACEAE. Tribe IXIEAE. GLADIOLUS, _Linn._; _Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant._ vol. iii. p. 709. * * * * * =Gladiolus cruentus=, _Moore in Gard. Chron._ 1868, 1138; _Bot. Mag._ t. 5810; _Fl. Cap._ vol. vi. p. 157. * * * * * This is the first opportunity we have had of figuring a species of _Gladiolus_ belonging to the section Cardinales. As far as our records go the species appears to be little known to botanical science. In 1868 a Mr. Bull flowered it in his nursery at Chelsea, and it was from specimens supplied by Mr. Bull that the Plate in the _Botanical Magazine_ was prepared. We are indebted to Mr. L. F. Wacher, who sent us specimens from Basutoland in 1923, for information about this beautiful plant. Mr. Wacher states that the plant grows in many places in the mountain area of Basutoland, and it is probable that the species is confined to the high mountain regions of Natal and Basutoland. While we have no definite information as to the precise habitat, there appears to be little doubt that it favours similar localities to _G. cardinalis_ of the Cape Province, which is usually found growing near waterfalls. DESCRIPTION:--_Corm_ 3·5 cm. in diameter, with thick cylindric roots. _Leaves_ about four, 16 to 30 cm. long, 1·5 to 2·5 cm. broad, ensiform, glabrous. _Spike_ few-flowered. _Spathe-valves_ large, lanceolate; the lower from 7 to 15 cm. long. _Perianth-tube_ funnel-shaped, curved; upper segments 5 to 6·5 cm. long, obovate-spathulate; lower segments about 4 cm. long, with a white blotch at the throat covered with red spots. _Style-branches_ papillose on the margins. PLATE 182.--Fig. 1, median longitudinal section of flower; Fig. 2, style showing the style-branches. F.P.S.A., 1925. [Illustration: 183.] PLATE 183. GAZANIA SUFFRUTICOSA. _S.W. Africa._ COMPOSITAE. Tribe ARCTOTIDEAE. GAZANIA, _Gaertn._; _Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant_, vol. ii. p. 459. * * * * * =Gazania suffruticosa=, _Muschler in Engl. Bot. Jahrb._ vol. 46, p. 120.