WACHENDORFIA 



THE BULB BOOK 



WATSONIA 



purple flowers with a blackish base 

 borne in loose panicles in July 

 (Gartentf. t. 1070). 



V. nigrum. — An ornamental plant 

 2 to 3 ft. high, somewhat swollen at 

 the base, and having oblong plaited 

 leaves about 1 ft. long, and 6 to 8 ins. 

 broad. The blackish-purple flowers 

 are borne in June in dense racemes 

 1 to 3 ft. high. (Bot. Ma</. t. 963.) 



V. ■Wiedemannianum. — A native 

 of Kurdistan, having flowers of indigo- 

 blue, fading to purple-lilac. 



WACHENDORFIA (after F. J. 

 Wacliendorf, a Dutch botanist). Nat. 

 Ord. Haemodoracese. — A genus with 

 seven species of tuberous-rooted 

 perennials having sword-shaped or 

 rarely linear leaves, sometimes large 

 and more or less plaited. Flowers 

 yellow, in terminal and often hairy 

 panicles or trusses. All natives of 

 S. Africa. 



The Wachendorfias flourish in 

 sandy peat, loam, and leaf-soil, but 

 can be regarded as hardy only in the 

 mildest parts of the Kingdom. In 

 severe Avintcrs they should be pro- 

 tected from frost and cold rains by 

 means of hand-lights, bracken, etc. 

 They may be increased by division 

 of the tuberous roots in spring as 

 growth is commencing, or by seeds 

 sown in cold frames or gentle heat 

 when ripe. 



W. brevifolia grows about 1 ft. 

 high, has lance-shapcd plaited leaves, 

 and crimson flowers tinged with 

 yellow and softly hairy outside {Bot. 

 Mag. t. 1116). 



W. hirsuta. — ^A downy plant about 

 18 ins. high, with three-nerved 

 narrow sword-shaped leaves, and 

 reddish flowers becoming golden- 

 yellow when fully open {JJot. Mag. 

 t. 014). 



W. paniculata.— This grows about 

 18 ins. high, and has three-nerved 



sword-like leaves and golden-yellow 

 flowers in panicles (Bot. Mag. tt. 

 616, lOGO (pal /i da)). 



W. thyrslflora. — A species about 

 2 ft. high with broad sword-shaped 

 plaited leaves. The yellow flowers, 

 with six lance-shaped acute seg- 

 ments, appear in early summer, in 

 loose erect racemes. (Bot. Mag. t. 

 1060.) 



WATSONIA (after W. Watso7i, a 

 London apothecary), Bugle Lily. 

 Nat. Ord. Iridese. — A genus of beauti- 

 ful S. African herbaceous plants, 

 having fibrous-coated corms, sword- 

 shaped leaves, and tall spikes of 

 tubular bell-shaped flowers. 



The Watsonias may be grown in 

 the open air during the summer 

 months from the Midlands south- 

 wards, and should be planted in 

 Avarm, sunny, and sheltered spots. 

 In other localities it is safer to grow 

 them in frames or greenhouses. In- 

 deed this is how they are often 

 cultivated. They like a rich sandy 

 loam with a little leaf-soil, peat, or 

 well-decayed manure, whether grown 

 in pots or in the border. During 

 growth the roots should have plenty 

 of moisture, but when at rest no 

 water should be given. In the 

 autumn the corms of outdoor plants 

 should be lifted before severe frosts 

 set in, and may be stored in frost- 

 proof places until April and May. 

 The plants may be increased by off- 

 sets and by seeds. 



W. aletroides(A7itho?yzaaletroides). 

 — A pretty species 2 to 3 ft. high, 

 having thickish, narrow, sword-like 

 leaves, and spikes of scarlet flowers 

 in June and July (Bot. Mag. tt. 441, 

 533). 



W. angusta (W. iridifolia). — This 

 species has narrow lance-shapcd 

 leaves in two rows, and from eight 

 to twenty-four scarlet flowers in a 



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