PLATE 79.--Fig. 1, surface view of flower to show staminodes, the limb of the petals removed; Fig. 2, pistil, showing long gynophore; Fig. 3, stamen; Figs. 4, 5, front and side views of calyx; Fig. 6, fruit.
KLATTIA, _B. Kr._; _Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant_. vol. iii. p. 702.
=Klattia Stokoei=, _L. Guthrie in Annals Bolus Herb_. vol. iii. p. 76.
The discovery of this remarkable plant by Mr. T. P. Stokoe on the Hottentot’s Holland Mountains, near Somerset West, adds another species to one of the South African endemic genera, which hitherto has been regarded as monotypic. _Klattia partita_, found by Bowie, Thunberg, and Burchell, is a rare plant, and is only known from the Langebergen near Swellendam. It is figured by Marloth in “The Flora of South Africa,” t. 41. Our present species differs from _K. partita_ in the more spreading leaves, the very much shorter perianth-tube, the narrower segments which have a red limb, and the larger capsule. The genus _Klattia_ is closely related to _Witsenia_, which we figured on plate 34, but is distinguished from this genus by having a very short perianth-tube and long segments, much longer than the tube. _Klattia_ was named in honour of Dr. F. W. Klatt, a teacher at Hamburg, who published several memoirs on the _Iridaceae_.
Specimens are preserved in the National Herbarium, Pretoria (Herb. No. 1436).
DESCRIPTION:--_Inflorescence_ about 8-flowered. _Spathe-valves_ 2; the larger 11·5 cm. long, 1 cm. broad, green and lanceolate above, red and strongly keeled below, subacute, glabrous; the smaller red 5 mm. long, 2 mm. broad, rounded above, keeled on the back with the keel produced into a beak 7 mm. long. _Floral_ bracts white 3 cm. long, keeled, acute. _Perianth-segments_ divided almost to the base 5·7 cm. long, filiform below, broadened above into a linear portion 1 mm. broad. _Filaments_ 4·5 mm. long, filiform; anthers 1 mm. long, linear, sagittate at the base. _Ovary_ 2 mm. long, 2 mm. in diameter, obovate in outline. Style 6 cm. long, filiform; stigma simple. _Capsule_ 1·3 cm. long. _Seeds_ 8 mm. long, 2 mm. broad, linear, concave in front, silky and 2-grooved at the back.
PLATE 80.--Fig. 1, portion of stem; Fig. 2, inflorescence; Figs. 3, 4, spathe valves; Fig. 5, a single flower laid open; Fig. 6, pistil; Fig. 7, anther; Fig. 8, ovary; Fig. 9, top of style, showing the three stigmas.