TROPiEOLUM 



THE BULB BOOK 



TULBAGHIA 



T. speclosmn. — This fine Chilian 

 climber, popularly known as the 

 "Flame Nasturtium,'" has pear- 

 shaped tubers, hairj- stems, and six- 

 lobed almost peltate leaves. The 

 bright scarlet flowers are borne in 

 great profusion from June to October 

 in localities where the plants flourish, 

 the upper petals being heart- or 

 wedge-shaped, the lower ones roxmded 

 and the spur long. {Bot. Mag. t. 

 4323: FLd. Serr. t. 281.) 



Fig. 330. — Tropacium tpetiotuwi. Q.) 



This species does not grow equally 

 well in all places — chiefly perhaps 

 because it is coddled too much. It 

 Ukes a deep soil composed of loam, 

 leaf-soil, and .sand, to which a little 

 well-rotted manure may be added. 

 Very hot scorching positions should 

 be avoided. Cool shady spots facing 

 between north-east and north-west, 

 and under walls, bushes, or hedges 

 are best. The tubers .should be 

 planted in April or May, 4 to 6 ins. 

 deep, and left to look after them- 

 selves. 



T. tricoionun. — Another pretty 

 Chilian species with smaU, roundish, 

 brown-skinned tubers, trailing stems 

 with leaves cut into five to six 

 oblong lobes, and flowers having 

 small orange-yellow petals, and a 

 fiery scarlet calyx {Hot. iffuj. t. 

 3169; Fl. d. Sei-r. tt. 369, 1881). 

 There is a fine variety called grand i- 

 flarum, with larger flowers and a 

 more vigorous habit. Greenhouse or 

 frame. 



T. tuberosum. — A Peruvian species 

 with yellowLsh tubers tinged vriih. 

 carmine, from which arise stems 3 to 

 6 ft. long, bearing leaves divided into 

 five lobes. The flowers appear from 

 July to September, the calyx being 

 deep red, and the petals golden-yellow 

 with dark-coloTired veins. {Bot. Mwj. 

 t. 3714 ; FL d. Serr. t. 452.) 



T. umbellatuin. — This Peruvian 

 species is remarkable for its large 

 tubers, which in a native condition 

 often weigh from 2j to 5 lbs. The 

 zigzag climbing stems bear palmately 

 five-lobed leaves, and the red and 

 orange flowers are borne in lunbels 

 at the ends of the shoots. {Bot. 

 Mag. t. 4337 : Fl. d. Serr. t. 302.) 

 Frame or greenhouse. 



T. violaeflorum. — ^A distinct and 

 handsome Chilian species, having 

 leaves deeply cut into five more or 

 less blimtly lance-shaped lobes, and 

 flowers of sky-blue becoming paler 

 with age {Bot. Mag. t. 3985, as T. 

 nzureum). Frame or greenhouse. 



TCTLBAGHIA (after Governor Txd- 

 hagh (d. 1771) of S. Africa). Xat. Ord. 

 Liliacese. — A genus containing about 

 a dozen species of garlic - smelling 

 herbaceous jilants with rhizomatous 

 root - stocks, narrow strap - shaped 

 leaves, and more or less urn-shaped 

 flowers in umbels. 



The Tulbaghias are easily grown in 

 a cold frame or greenhouse, and if 

 massed in pots or paas are fairly 

 attractive when in flower. They 

 like a well - drained compost of 

 sandy loam and peat or leaf-soU in 

 equal proportions, and may be 

 increased by ofisets or seeds. 



All the species are natives of S. 

 Africa, the following being best 

 known : — 



T. alliacea. — Flowers greenish- 

 purple with a reddish corona, four to 

 five in an umbel on stems 9 to 1 8 ins. 



436 



