SAXIFRAGA 



THE BULB BOOK 



SCILLA 



and irregularly blotched with deep 

 purple, appear about May and June. 

 {Bot. JIa(f. t. 1017.) 



This is the plant to which the 

 name "Monarch of the East" has 

 been applied. The tubers, instead of 

 being grown in a greenhouse as 

 recommended, are often placed in 

 fancy bowls, or even on the mantel- 

 shelf, without any Avater whatever. 

 If the temperature is high enough, 

 65° to 70° F. growth commences, and 

 the nourishment stored up in the 

 tuber is suflScient to produce the 

 flower - spathes without further 

 attention. 



Other species are S. brevipes, from 

 the Sikkim Himalayas, with purple- 

 tinted spathes (Gard. Chron. 1903, 

 xxxiv. 93; Bot. Mag. t. 7940); S. 

 pedatum, with dark purple and 

 yellowish spathes {Gartenfl. t. 495) ; 

 S. punctatum, green and purple ; and 

 3. nervosum, purple and yellow {Bot. 

 Mag. t. 4465). 



SAXIFRAGA (saxum, a stone ; 

 frarujere, to break ; in reference to 

 the roots entering the crevices of 

 rocks which are thus split). Nat. Ord. 

 Saxifragaceaj. — Out of some 160 

 species, perhaps the only ones to 

 mention in this work are — 



S. granulata fl. pi. is a charming 

 Saxifrage 6 to 12 ins. high, with 

 beautiful white double flowers in 

 April and May. It has small white 

 bulb-like bodies forming at the base 

 of the stems. The single-flowered 

 species is a native of Britain, and is 

 popularly known as "Fair Maids of 

 France,'' "First of May," and the 

 " Meadow Saxifrage." 



S. peltata, popularly known as the 

 " Umbrella Plant." It is found wild 

 on the borders of lakes and streams 

 in California, and has a large fleshy 

 creeping root-stock, from which arise 

 roundish shield - like lobed leaves 



12 to 18 ins. across, and borne on 

 downy stalks 1 to 2 ft long, the 

 lobes being cut and sharply toothed. 

 The white or pale pink flowers appear 

 in April and May. {Bot, Mag. t. 

 6074 ; Fl. d. Serr. t. 2441 ; Gartenfl. 

 t. 735.) 



This is by far the largest and 

 most noble looking of the Saxifrages. 

 It is quite hardy, and will flourish 

 in good soil near the edges of ponds 

 or streams, etc., and also in moist 

 parts of the flower - border. The 

 circular leaves, being deeply depressed 

 in the centre where the stalk beneath 

 joins the blade, hold a good deal of 

 water after rain, and in the autumn 

 they assume attractive tints of red 

 and brown. This Saxifrage may be 

 increased by seeds and division of 

 the root-stocks. 



SCHIZOSTYLIS {scUzo, to CUt ; 

 stylos, a colunm or style ; in reference 

 to the divided thread-like styles). 

 Nat. Ord. Iridese.— The best-known 

 species is — 



S. coccinea, a handsome S. African 

 plant, 2 to 3 ft. high, with fleshy 

 and slightly swollen root - stocks, 

 sheathing sword - like leaves, and 

 spikes of crimson-scarlet flowers from 

 September to December, each about 

 2 ins. across {Bot. Mag. t. 5422). 



This pretty plant flourishes in rich, 

 moist loam, peat, leaf -mould, and 

 silver sand in about equal proportions. 

 It is not hardy, except in the very 

 mildest parts of the Kingdom, and 

 even then it must be protected from 

 frost. Grown in pots or pans in the 

 greenhouse, it is very efi'ective during 

 the later months of the year. The 

 stock is best increased by dividing 

 the leek-like tufts, and the stolons 

 which arise from their bases. Fig. 310. 



SCILLA {skilla, squill a, a squill), 

 Squill, Bluebell. Nat. Ord. Liliacejie. 



413 



