Massonia
(named after F. Masson, 1741-1805, a botanical traveller in South Africa). SYN. Podocallis. ORD. Liliaceae. A genus comprising, according to Mr. Baker, about twenty-five species of small-growing, green-house, bulbous plants, natives of South Africa. Flowers white, in an umbel-like head, nearly sessile between the leaves, and surrounded by a many-leaved scarious involucre; perianth with a cylindrical erect tube, and a six-cleft, spreading or reflexed limb; scape short or none. Leaves radical, twin, nearly opposite, spreading, ovate or rarely oblong. The species are more curious than beautiful. They thrive in sandy peat, and, as is the case with most South African bulbous plants, like a decided season of rest. M. angustifolia (narrow-leaved). fl., perianth white; segments linear, reflexed, half as long as the tube; corymbs shortly pedunculate, six to twenty-flowered. April. l. lanceolate, ascendent, acute, 3in. to 4in. long, 1in. broad. 1775. (B. M. 736.) M. candida (white). fl., perianth white, nearly 1in. long; segments linear-lanceolate, reflexed; corymbs twenty to thirty-flowered. April. l. round, smooth, obtuse, fleshy-herbaceous, 3in. to 5in. long and broad. h. 6in. (B. R. 694.) M. ensifolia (sword-shape-leaved). fl., perianth lilac, 3/4in. to 1in, long; segments linear-ligulate, spreading; corymbs three to twelve-flowered. April. l. fleshy-herbaceous, lanceolate, 2in. to 4in. long, 1in. to 1 1/2in. broad. h. 6in. 1790. (B. M. 554; A. B. R. 46, under name of M. violacea.) M. latifolia (broad-leaved). A synonym of M. sanguinea. M. muricata (muricated). fl., perianth white, 1in. long; segments lanceolate, reflexed, about half as long as the tube. April. l. fleshy-herbaceous, round-cordate, 3in. to 4in. long and broad. h. 6in. 1790. (B. M. 559.) M. pustulata (blistered). fl., perianth 1in. long; segments linear-lanceolate, reflexed, half the length of the tube; filaments white; corymbs ten to twenty-flowered. February. l. ovate-rotundate, fleshy-herbaceous, smooth, sub-acute, 5in. to 6in. long, 3in. to 4in. broad. h. 3in. 1790. SYN. M. scabra. (B. M. 642.) M. sanguinea (bloody). fl., perianth white, nearly 1in. long; segments linear-lanceolate; filaments suffused with red; corymbs fifteen to twenty-flowered. March. l. fleshy-herbaceous, almost rotundate-cordate, acute, 4in. to 6in. long, 3in. to 4in. broad. h. 6in. 1775. SYN. M. latifolia (under which name it is figured in B. M. 848).
M. scabra (scabrous). A synonym of M. pustulata.
M. violacea (violet). A synonym of M. ensifolia.