Willdenowia
(named in honour of Charles Louis Willdenow, 1765-1812, Professor of Botany at Berlin). SYN. Nematanthus (of Nees). ORD. Restiaceae. A genus comprising eight species of greenhouse herbs, with Rush-like, leafless stems, natives of South Africa. Flowers dioecious; male spikelets loosely many-flowered, interruptedly spicate; females one-flowered, sessile. Sheaths loose, persistent. It is doubtful whether the under-mentioned species is still in cultivation. It thrives in a compost of loam and peat, and may be increased by divisions.
W. teres (terete). fl., male inflorescence 2in. to 2 1/2in. long, erect, spicately or paniculately cymose; female spikelets one to three at the apex of the culm. Sheaths 1 1/2in. in length, convolute, fuscous, glabrous, acuminate at apex. Culms erect, 3ft. or more high, terete, virgate-branched near the middle; branches ascending, white-lepidoted and spotted with purple. 1790. The plant sometimes grown under this name is a species of Restio.