CURCULIGO 



THE BULB BOOK 



CURCUMA 



tuberous or corm-like root-stocks 

 from which arise lance-shaped, plaited 

 leaves. The flowers are borne in 

 spikes or racemes. The perianth is 

 six-lobed, with almost equal spreading 

 segments. Stamens six, attached to 

 the base of the segments by short 

 filaments. Ovary three-celled, often 

 produced into a long beak-like point. 

 Fruit more or loss succulent, in- 

 dehiscent. 



Culture. — Being natives of the 

 Tropics of Asia, Africa, America, and 

 Australia, the Curculigos or Weevil 

 Plants must be treated as hothouse 

 subjects, requiring plenty of heat and 

 moisture. They are chiefly valuable 

 for their ornamental foliage, resem- 

 bling some Palms or Aspidistras, and 

 are not difficult to grow. The pots 

 should not be too large, and should 

 be well drained, so that the soil shall 

 not become sour with repeated water- 

 ings. A compost of turfy peat and 

 loam in equal proportions, with a 

 good sprinkling of silver sand, suits 

 the plants best. When established 

 and in vigorous growth, plenty of 

 water must be given, and copious 

 syringing will also keep the foliage 

 bright and clean. 



The simplest way to increase the 

 plants is by dividing the root-stocks 

 or detaching the suckers and potting 

 them up separately, 



C. recurvata. — This East Indian 

 plant is the best known in the genus. 

 It has tuberous rhizomes from which 

 arise masses of dark green, lance- 

 shaped, plaited leaves on long stalks, 

 and dense heads of yellow flowers on 

 scapes shorter than the leaf-stalks. 

 The variety striata has a central 

 white band down the leaves, while 

 the variety variegata is a handsome 

 plant with stripes of clear white 

 running down the recurved, plaited 

 leaves, which are often 2i ft. long. 

 {Bot. liefj. t. 770.) 



17i 



CURCUMA (Kwhim, the Arabic 

 form), Turmeric. Nat. Ord. Scita- 

 mineje. — A genus containing thirty or 

 more species of hothouse herbaceous 

 deciduous plants, natives of the 

 Tropics of Asia, Africa, Australia, 

 and the Pacific Isles. They have 

 thickish rhizomes, rich in arrowroot, 

 from which arise annual stems 1 to 

 ] ft. high, furnished with two rows of 

 large, alternate, oval or lance-shaped 

 leaves, with sheathing stalks. The 

 flowers are borne in dense cone-like 

 spikes with concave bracts. The 

 calyx is tubular and three-toothed. 

 The tube of the corolla is dilated 

 above, five lobes being equal, the 

 sixth, known as the "lip," being 

 larger and spreading. 



Curcumas are grown in the Tropics 

 for the arrowroot some species 

 yield from the root-stocks, and for 

 the yellow colouring material called 

 turmeric yielded by others, notably 

 C. lonrja. They are easily grown in 

 hothouses in a compost of two-thirds 

 turfy peat to one-third turfy loam, 

 and a sprinkling of coarse silver sand. 

 Plenty of water must be given during 

 active growth, but the root-stocks 

 must be kept fairly dry during the 

 dormant season. Propagation is 

 easily effected by dividing the root- 

 stocks when growth commences in 

 spring. 



As most of the species are similar 

 in appearance, differing chiefly in 

 height and colour of the flowers, it 

 is unnecessary to describe each one 

 in detail, especially as the plants are 

 only likely to be found in botanical 

 collections. The following species 

 are best known : — 



C. albiflora.— 2 ft. Flowers white 

 and yellow. Ceylon. {Bot. Mag. t. 

 5909.) 



C. Amada.— 1 to 2 ft. Flowers 

 pale yellow. Bengal. Cultivated in 

 India for arrowroot. 



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