Hab. Strait of Magalhaens, and throughout Fuegia, Commerson, Banks and Solander, and all succeeding voyagers. Falkland Islands, D'Urville, &c.
The leaves of this plant vary from two to four, three being the prevailing number. The flowers, also, are very much larger in some specimens than others, and dissimilar in colour and spotting. Poeppig's Pogonia tetraphyllo, from South Chili, is decidedly only a state of Codonorchis Lessonii, the glands on the labellum affording no more constant character in this plant than in the beautiful Chiloglottis of Tasmania.
Plate CXXV. Fig. 1, ovarium, column, and labellum ; fig. 2, labellum; fig. 3, column; fig. 4, anther-case; fig. 5, pollen-masses:—all magnified.
LI. IRIDEÆ, Juss.
1. SISYRINCHIUM, Tourn.
1. Sisyrinchium filifolium, Gaud.; caule simplici tereti striato basi folioso, foliis radicalibus filiformibus scapum æquantibus brevioribusve, scapo ultra bracteas in spatham elongatam producto, fasciculis florum sessilibus rarius pedunculatis solitariis v. rarissime geminis bibracteatis 2-8-floris, perianthii segmentis subæqualibus albis purpureo-venosis. S. filifolium, Gaud. in Ann. Sc. Nat. vol. v. p. 101, et in Freyc. Voy. Bot. p. 133. D'Urv. in Mém. Soc. Linn. Paris, vol. iv. p. 604. S. Gaudichaudii, Dietrich. Sp. Pl. vol. ii. p. 505. (Tab. CXXVI.)
Hab. Strait of Magalhaens; Cape Gregory, Capt. King; Falkland Islands, Gaudichand, and all succeeding voyagers.
Herba elegans, 4-unc. ad bipedalem. Radix e fibris plurimis horizontabbus carnosis. Caulis basi rebquiis fibrosis foliorum emortuorum obtectus. Folia pauca, pleraque radicalia, filiformia, scapo breviora v. elongata. Scapus gracilis, teres. Spatha 2-5-unc. longa, basi vaginalis, superne in folium filiformem desinens. Pedunculi floriferi, plerumque solitarii, rarius bini, brevissimi v. raro elongati, apice bracteas duas lanceolatas æquilongas unciales gerentes. Pedicelli filiformes, exserti, stricti v. flexuosi. Flores magnitudine varii, Galanthi nivalis æquantes v. dimidio terve minores, late campanulati, albi. Perianthii segmenta subæqualia, obovata, apicilata, membranacea, venis sæpius flexuosis purpureis ornata. Stamina fere omnino libera, antheris versatilibus brevibus. Stylus apice incrassatus, trifidus, ramis divaricatis. Capsula membranacea-coriacæ. Semina obovata, lævia; testa reticulata, brunnea.
One of the most abundant and elegant plants in the Falkland Islands, where the grassy plains are, in the spring month of November, almost whitened by the profusion of its pendulous snowy bells.
A very similar species, if not the same, seems to be common in Chili, from Valparaiso to Concepcion; but its flowers are smaller than in the majority of the Falkland Island specimens.
Plate CXXVI. Fig. 1, segment of the perianth; fig 2, ovarium, stamens, style, and stigmata; fig 3, transverse section of ovarium; fig 4, ovule; fig 5, ripe fruit; fig 6, transverse section of the same; fig 7, seed; fig 8, the same, cut longitudinally:—all magnified.
2. Sisyrinchium laxum, Link., in Hook, in Bot. Mag. t. 2312.
Var. major; caule bifido foliisque latioribus, spatha bracteisque apices versus scaberulis, perianthii segmentis latioribus.
Var. minor; caule simplici foliisque angustioribus, spatha bracteisque glaberrimis, perianthii segmentis angustioribus.
Hab. Var. major, Chonos Archipelago, C. Darwin, Esq. Var. β, Strait of Magalhaens; Port Famine. Capt. King; Cape Negro, C. Darwin, Esq.
