BESCIIOKNEltIA 



THE IJULB BOOK 



BESSET^A 



nicnts, and borne in simple or 

 panicled racemes on stalks 2 to 8 ft. 

 high, springing out of the centre of 

 the plants. 



The Bcschornerias are not well- 

 known outside botanic gardens. 

 Thcj' require to be grown in a warm 

 greenhouse, and flourish in a compost 

 of rich sandy loam and leaf-soil or 

 a little peat, and may be grown in 

 pots or tubs, or planted in beds or 

 borders, where the evergreen appear- 

 ance of the ornamental foliage would 

 be more likely appreciated. The 

 best-known species are : — 



B. bracteata, with leaves li to 2 ft. 

 long. Flowers reddish, on stalks 4 

 to r, ft. high. {Bot. Mag. t. 6641.) 



B. Decosteriana has leaves 2 to 2i 

 ft. long, and green flowers tinged with 

 red, on stems 7 to 8 ft. high {Bot. 

 Mag. t. 6768.) 



B. Toneliana.— Leaves U to 2 ft. 

 long. Flowers greenish, on stems 

 about 4 ft. high. {Bot. Mag. t. 6091.) 



B. tubiflora. — Leaves about 1 ft. 

 long, and A to 1 in. broad. Flowers 

 reddish-green, on stems 2 to 3 ft. 

 high. {Bot. Mag. t. 4642.) 



B. "Wrlghti. — This species has 

 masses of spreading recurved sword- 

 like leaves 4 to 5 ft. long and about 

 2 in. wide in the middle. The green, 

 downy flowers are borne on pyra- 

 midal panicles about 8 ft. high. 

 {Jlot. Mag. t. 7779.) 



B. yuccoides.— Leaves U to 2 ft. 

 long. Flowers entirely green, on 

 reddish stems 4 to 6 ft. high, with 

 rosy red bracts. 



This species flourishes in the open 

 air in warm sheltered spots, but must 

 be protected in winter. {])0t. Mag. 

 t. 5203.) 



(after Dr Besser, pro- 

 fessor of botany). Nat. Ord. 

 Liliacea;. — The only representative 

 of this genus is — 



B. elegans, a charming little 

 Mexican plant about 2 ft. high, having 

 tunicated corms, narrow, channelled 

 leaves, and umbels of beautiful 

 drooping bell-shaped blossoms from 



Bessera elegans, corm ami section. 



July to September. These are 

 scarlet in the type, but there is so 

 much variation in the colour that 



Fio. 09.— Bessera elegans. 



specific names have been given to 

 forms, such as Jistulosa, purple; 

 Herherti, purple and Avhite ; and 

 miniata, scarlet and white. {Bot. 

 Beg. tt. 34, 1546 ; FL d. Serr. t. 424.) 



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