SYRINGODEA 



THE BULB BOOK 



TACCA 



SYRINGODBA {.'ii/rinr/odes, fistulai' ; 

 ill allusion to the slender periantli- 

 tube). Nat. Orel. Irideae. — Out of the 

 seven species in this genus the only 

 one worth notice is — 



S. pulcheUa. — A pretty little South 

 African plant with roundish bulbs 

 about i in. thick, sickle - shaped 

 bristle-like leaves, 3 to 4 ins. long, 

 and pale purple cylindrical flowers in 

 autumn, with deeply lobed wedge- 

 .shaped segments (Bof. Mcuj. t. 6072 : 

 FL d. Sen: t. 2096). 



This species may be grown in a 

 frame or cool greenhouse in a compost 

 of rich sandy soil, and to secure an 

 eftect several little bulbs should be 

 planted together in a pot or pan. 

 The plants may be increased by 

 offsets. 



TACCA (the Malayan name). Nat, 

 Ord. Taccaceaj. — This genus, known 

 formerly as Ataccia, compiises about 

 nine species of stove plants with 

 tuberous root-stocks, leaves simple 

 or much divided, flowers regular, 

 bonie in umbels with several large, 

 more or less ornamental leafy bracts, 

 and numerous drooping, thread-like, 

 sterile blossoms. 



T. artocarpifolia. — A remarkable 

 tuberous-rooted plant from Mada- 

 gascar. It bears about three leaves 

 with brown stalks, 2 ft. long, stout, 

 cylindric, the blade being 2 to 3 ft. 

 across, and cut into three main lobes, 

 which are again much divided. 

 Numerous flowers are borne on 

 thickish brown scapes 5 to 6 ft. 

 high, the sterile ones being drooping 

 and thread-like, the fertile ones being 

 globular, greenish with a bro\ni base. 

 {Hot. Mcvj. t. G124.) 



T, Chantrieri. — This resembles T. 

 cristata, but differs in being much 

 larger in every way, and in having 

 more numerous long-stalked flowers. 



T. cristata {1\ Rajftesiana). — A fine 



species from the Malayan Archipelago, 

 having conical tuberous root-stocks, 

 oblong pointed leaves purplish at the 

 base, and numerous deep purple 

 flowers, the sterile ones being droop- 

 ing and cord-like, the fertile ones 

 ■\%ith six lobes in two pairs with a 

 greenish centre {Bot. Afar/, t. 4589). 



^.^ 





Fig. 31S.— Tare acristata. (i.) 



T. integrifolia.— A native of the 

 East Indies, with a tuberous root- 

 stock, ovate, lance - shaped, entire 

 leaves A\-ith bro\\Ti stalks, and six- 

 lobed greenish-purple flowers, sub- 

 tended by large leafy purple-veined 

 spathes (Bot. Mag. t. 1488). 



T. oceanica {T. ^>m«aY(^<:Z«). — A 

 Polynesian species, having turnip- 

 like root-stocks, three-lobed leaves 

 with segments deeply divided and 

 cut, and clusters of green flowei-s with. 

 leafy bracts on top of a stoutisb 

 scape {Bot. Mag. tt. 7299, 7300). 



These wonderful and curious look- 

 ing plants are easily grown in a 

 compost of sandy loam and leaf-soil, 

 and require abundance of heat and 

 moisture, especially during active 

 growth. The plants may be syringed 



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