WELDENIA 



THE BULB ROOK 



XANTHOSOMA 



high, and has leathery leaves 2 to 2?, 

 ft. long, and spikes of funnel-shaped 

 bright rosy flowers from July to 

 October {Bot. Mag. t. 1072; Jacq. 

 Ic. t. 235). 



"W. strlctlflora. — A little-known 

 species with narrow leaves about 6 to 

 12 ins. long, and spikes of erect scent- 

 less cherry-red flowers marked vrith 

 violet-purple in the throat {Bot. Mafj. 

 t. 1416). 



Fig. 340. — Wattonia ileriana 

 Arderrui. (J.) 



"WELDENIA. Nat. Ord, Commelin- 

 aceae. — A genus containing only one 

 species — 



W. Candida. — A native of Mexico 

 and Guatemala, having fleshy tuberous 

 root-stocks, from which arise annually 

 six to eight strap-shaped leaves with 

 folding bases. The snow-white 

 flowers, about an inch across, are 

 borne on erect scapes in a cluster in 

 the centre of the leaves {Bot. Mwj. 

 t. 7405). 



WILBRANDIA (after Joh. Bernh. 

 WiUhrawl, a German botanist, born 

 1789, died 1846). Nat. Ord. Cucur- 

 bitaceae. — A little-known genus, the 

 only known species of which is — 



W. drastica {Rhynchocarjja glom- 

 erata). — A tuberous-rooted perennial 

 from Brazil, closely related to the 

 Bryony, and having digitately five- 

 lobed leaves and climbing stems 9 to 

 12 ft. long. The small Avhitish 

 flowers (males and females being 

 separate on each plant) are borne 

 in panicles, and are succeeded in 

 autumn by small egg-like fruits. 



This plant — if worth growing at 

 all — may be raised from seeds sown 

 in heat annually, the young plants 

 being placed in warm sunny spots 

 about May or June, 



"WTTRMBEA (after /'. Van Wurmbe, 

 a Dutch Naturalist). Nat. Ord. 

 Liliaceae. — A little-kno'mi genus of 

 bulbous plants, having narrow leaves, 

 and short spikes of bell-shaped 

 flowers. They are natives of S. 

 Africa, and may be grown in a cool 

 greenhouse or frame, or in the open 

 air in the milder parts during the 

 summer months in sandy loam and 

 leaf-soil, and may be increased by 

 offsets. 



"W. capensis {W. campanvlata ; 

 Melanthium monopetalum). — This is 

 the best-known species. It grows 

 from 6 to 12 ins. high, and has the 

 upper leaves linear, the lower ones 

 being lance-shaped, dilated, and 

 sheathing at the base. The white 

 flowers appear in May and June, and 

 if several plants are grown together 

 they look very pretty. {Bot. Mag. 

 t. 1291.) 



"W. purpurea is very similar, but 

 has purplish flowers {Bot. Mag. t. 

 G94). 



XANTHOSOMA {xantkos, yellow ; 

 soma, a body ; in reference to the 



454 



