In the _Botanical Magazine_ for the year 1803 (Plate 688) appeared an excellent figure of this species under the name _Gladiolus viperatus_, which was given owing to a fanciful resemblance to “the head and appearance of the jaws of the snake when raising itself for defence against its enemy and hissing.” Prior to the figure above quoted Jacquin illustrated the same species (1781-1786). Like most species of _Gladiolus_, it lends itself to cultivation and is easily grown in pots. A comparison of this plate of _G. orchidiflorus_ and Plate 63 (_G. alatus_ var. _namaquensis_) should be made with other plates of _Gladiolus_ figured. The two species belong to the section _Hebea_, all the members of which may be easily recognised by the long claws to the perianth-segments. The plants from which our illustration was made were grown by Dr. I. B. Pole Evans, C.M.G., at Irene, near Pretoria, from corms sent by Mrs. E. Rood of van Rhynsdorp. DESCRIPTION:--_Corm_ 2·5 cm. diameter, depressed-globose, covered with fibrous tunics. _Produced leaves_ 4; lowest leaf with a lanceolate-linear blade, 6·5 cm. long, 8 mm. broad, prominently 2-ribbed; upper leaves up to 30 cm. long, 5 to 8 mm. broad, linear, acuminate, acute, with 2 of the ribs more prominent than the others, glabrous. _Inflorescence_ about half as long as the leaves, laxly few-flowered. _Perianth_ very unequal; the uppermost segment long-clawed and with an oblong obtuse blade membranous on the margins, arched over the flower and the style and stamens; side segments broadly ovate, clawed, and produced into an acuminate point; lower segments more or less forming a lip, spathulate, long-clawed, obtuse. _Stamens_ arched under the uppermost segment and completely hidden by it. _Style_ arched under the uppermost segment, projecting beyond its apex; lobes spathulate, papillose round the edges. (National Herb. Pretoria, No. 2858.) PLATE 165.--Fig. 1, plant much reduced; Fig. 2, median longitudinal section of flower; Fig. 3, corm; Fig. 4, spathe-valve; Fig. 5, stamen; Fig. 6, top of style showing the 3 stigmas; Fig. 7, fruit. F.P.S.A., 1925. [Illustration: 166.] PLATE 166. LACHENALIA TRICOLOR. var. LUTEOLA. _Cape Province._ LILIACEAE. Tribe SCILLEAE. LACHENALIA, _Jacq._; _Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant._ vol. iii. p. 807. * * * * * =Lachenalia tricolor=, _Thunb._ var. =luteola=, _Baker_.; _Jacq. Collect._ vol. iv. p. 148; _Ic._ vol. ii. p. 16, t. 395; _Fl. Cap._ vol. vi. p. 424. * * * * * The _Lachenalia_ figured on the accompanying plate is among the most graceful species in the genus. It is closely allied to _L. pendula_, illustrated on Plate 158, but is distinguished by having the inner perianth-segments much longer than the outer. The plant was known to horticulturists in Europe almost 150 years ago, and was figured in colour between 1786 and 1793 by Jacquin, and again in the _Botanical Magazine_ in 1807.