THE liUr.B lU)OK 



Gladiolus. The new corms, instead of developing on top of the old 

 ones, arc produced at a lower depth from a downward growth. 



L.:J^- 



Fig. 15.— Corm or bulb of Erythronium, showing 

 new lower growth to right. 



IG.— Corm of Colchicum, showing new 

 growth to left. 



In this way there is no likelihood of the new corms coming too 

 near the surface to bo injured by frost, etc. 



Figs. 17, 18.-Corin and section of Bulbocodiiini, showing new 

 lower growths at side. 



Tliis volume is devoted to those plants which have either bulbs, 

 corms, tubers or tuberous roots, and rhizomes, and therefore embraces 

 many families of flowering plants (both Monocotyledons and 

 Dicotyledons) from all parts of the world. Orchids — a large and 

 important family requiring a volume to themselves — are excluded. 



FUNCTIONS OF BULBS, CORMS, TUBERS, 

 AND RHIZOMES 



Apart from the plants described in this volume being characterised 

 by having either liulbs, corms, tubers, or rhizomes, they all agree in 

 one important respect — they are all herbaceous plants and they are 

 all perennial. That is to say, their aerial parts (flower-stems and 



