AMICIA 



THE BULB BOOK 



AMOMUM 



AMICIA (after J. Ji. Amici, a 



celobratrd French physician). Nat. 

 Ord. Leguminosae.— There arc only 

 a few species in this genus, tlie l)cst 

 known being — 



A. Zygomeris. — A Mexican shrubby 

 pLxnt 4 to 6 ft. high, liaving thick, 

 fleshy root-stocks, and fleshy, downy 

 stems furnished with paripinnate 

 leaves divided into two pairs of wedge- 

 shaped obcordate or truncate leaflets. 

 The pea-like flowers, which appear in 

 September, are yellow, streaked with 

 purple on the keel, and are enclosed 

 before expansion in conspicuous and 

 ornamental leafy stipules of a purplish 

 colour. (JJof. Mar/, t. 4008.) 



This species is perfectly hardy in 

 the milder parts of the United King- 

 dom, and will grow well in any good 

 and well-drained garden soil in warm, 

 sunny positions. It may be increased 

 by seeds or cuttings of the young 

 shoots under glass early in the 

 season. 



AMMOCHARIS (ammos, sand ; 

 chan's, loving ; in reference to wild 

 conditions). Nat. Ord. AmaryllideiB. 

 — This genus contains only the follow- 

 ing species — 



A. falcata. — A native of Cape 

 Colony and Natal, where it is found 

 at an elevation of 5000 feet. It has 

 ovoid bulbs, 6 to 9 ins. in diameter, 

 covered with numerous brown tunics. 

 The narrow, strap-shaped leaves 

 appear before the flowers in summer 

 or autumn, and attain a length of 

 1 to 2 feet. During the winter 

 months the sweet-scented bright red 

 flowers are borne twenty to forty 

 in an umbel on stout two-edged scapes 

 G to 12 ins long, springing up from 

 the side of the bulbs. This species 

 was formerly known under the 

 generic names of Crinum, Amaryllis, 

 and Haemanthus, ( IJot. Ma;/. 1. 1443.) 



This species is not (luite hardy 



except in very favoured spots, and 

 is therefore best grown in a cool 

 greenhouse in a well-drained com- 

 ])ost of sandy loam and peat in 

 about equal proportions. It is in- 

 creased by offsets from the older 

 bulbs. 



AMOMUM (a, not ; momox, i mpurity ; 

 referring to tlie (|uality of counteract- 

 ing poison). Nat. Ord. Scitamineye. 

 — A genus of deciduous herbaceous 

 perennials closely related to the 

 (lingers {Zingiber), the Alpinias, 

 Curcumas, and Hedychiums, having 

 thickish or creeping rhizomes, entire 

 lance-shaped leaves distichously 

 arranged, and spikes or clusters of 

 bracteate flowers springing up close 

 to the ground from the rhizomes. 

 Calyx tubular or spreading at the 

 mouth, three-lobed. Corolla-tube 

 sometimes as long as the calyx, 

 sometimes very slender and much 

 longer, with three equal spreading 

 lobes, or with the posterior one 

 broader and more erect. 



There are about fifty species known, 

 natives of Tropical Asia and Africa, 

 some species being also found in 

 Tropical Australia and the Pacific 

 Islands. Owing to their aromatic 

 flavouring they were formerly used 

 in embalming, and the word "mummy" 

 is said to be derived from the generic 

 name. All the kinds in cultivation 

 may be grown in the same way as 

 the Alpinias in a stove house with 

 plenty of atmospheric moisture dur- 

 ing the growing season. They 

 flourish in rich sandy loam, with 

 a little leaf- soil or old manure added. 

 Propagation is effected by dividing 

 the rhizomes in the spring, when 

 repotting may be necessary. 



Amongst the species met with 

 are : — 



A. angustifollum, 8 ft. high, with 

 narrow, lance-shaped leaves, and 



72 



