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B. cordata. from Peru, is a nearly 

 allied species. 



BOWIEA (after ./. Jhirie, a Kew 

 collector). Nat. Ord. Liliaceaa. — The 

 only species is — 



B. volubilis, a native of S. Africa. 

 It has large, globular, greenish bulbs, 

 and is remarkable for its slender 

 climbing stems, which branch into 

 slender, staghorn-like segments, and 

 bear greenish, fleeting flowers with 

 reflexed segments. The true leaves 

 are grass-like, but they soon wither. 



This plant is simply a vegetable 

 curiosity. It grows freely in a cool 

 greenhouse, and has been known to 

 flourish in the open air in very warm, 

 sheltered spots in ordinary light 

 garden soil. (Bot. Mag. t. 5619.) 



BRACHYSTELMA (brachi/s, short ; 

 stelma, a crown ; referring to the 

 coronal processes of the flowers). 

 Nat. Ord. Asclepiadese. — A small 

 genus of tuberous-rooted perennials 

 with climbing stems, opposite leaves ; 

 fleshy, bell-shaped or starry flowers. 



The i)lants of this genus are very 

 little known. They are all natives of 

 S. Africa, and require to be grown in 

 a greenhouse. A compost of sandy 

 loam and leaf-soil suits them best, and 

 they may be increased by basal 

 cuttings in spring. The species best 

 known are B. Anwti {Kef. Bot. t. 9) ; 

 B. Barherce {Bot. Mag. t. 5G07) ; 

 B. Caffrum {Gard. Chron. 1894, xvi. 

 G2); B. ovatiim {lief. Bot. t. 22G) ; 

 B. spatulatum {Hot. Reg. t. 1113); 

 and B. tuberosum {Bot. Mag. t. 2,343). 

 The flowers of these are greenish, 

 yellowish, or purple. 



BRAVOA (after Bravo, a Mexican 

 botanist). Nat, Ord. Amaryllideoe.— 

 A small genus of Mexican plants 

 having tuberous root-stocks, narrow 

 leaves, and red or whitish flowers, 



usually in distant pairs. The perianth 

 has a long, subcylindrical tube, and 

 short, ovate oblong, almost equal 

 segments. 



The Bravoas are pretty little plants, 

 almost hardy in the mildest parts of 

 the Kingdom, with protection in 

 winter ; otherwise best treated as 

 greenhouse plants. They like a com- 

 post of rich sandy loam and leaf -soil, 

 and several .should be grown together 

 in well-drained pots to make a display. 

 They may be increased by ofisets, or 

 more slowly from seeds. 



B. Bulliana has ovoid tubers about 

 1 in. through, the outer tunics split 

 into fibres at the top. The bright 

 leaves are about 6 ins. long, and 1 to 

 1 h ins. broad. From five to six pairs 

 of whitish and almost stalkless flowers 

 are borne on a flexuose stem 2 to 3 ft. 

 long. This species and the next have 

 produced a hybrid called B. kewensis. 

 {(Jard. Chron. 1899, xxvi. 112.) 



B. geminiflora {The Twin Floiver). 

 — This is the best-known member of 

 the genus, having been introduced 

 from Mexico in 1838. The globose 

 tubers are 1 to 1 i ins. through, with 

 fibrous tunics. The leaves are 12 to 

 18 ins. long, h to 4 in. broad, and the 

 bright coral - red tubular blossoms, 

 twenty to thirty in number, hang in 

 pairs on a stalk 12 to 18 ins. high. 



This species grows wild at an 

 altitude of 7000 ft. on the mountains 

 of Central Mexico, and is practically 

 hardy in warm and sheltered spots 

 facing south in the neighbourhood of 

 London. {Bot. Mag. t. 4741 ; Fl. d. 

 Serr. v. 520.) 



B. sessiliflora. — This species grows 

 at an altitude of 6000 to 8000 ft. in 

 Mexico, and is probably as hardy as 

 B. geminiflora. It has an oblong 

 tuber, narrow, pointed leaves, and 

 stalkless, whitish flowers in distant 

 pairs, on stems 1 i to 2 ft. high. 



B. singuliflora. — The tubers of this 



112 



