COMMELINA 



THE BULB BOOK 



CONANTHERA 



main veins are very prominent on the 

 under-surface, and the long sheathing 

 stalks are of a coppery brown. (III. 

 Hort. 1886, 601.) 



C. esculenta (Arum and Ccdadium 

 esculentum). A native of the Sand- 

 wich Islands, with peltate heart- 

 shaped leaves, about 2 ft. long, and 

 18 ins. broad, borne on stalks a yard 

 or more in length. 



C. indica (Arum indicum). Also a 

 native of the Sandwich Islands, about 

 6 ft. high, with oval heart-shaped 

 leaves, divided at the base into two 

 roundish lobes, and ending in a sharp 

 point at the apex. 



C. neo - guineensis. This comes 

 from New Guinea, and is remarkable 

 for having the leaves blotched with 

 white (111. Hort. t. 380). 



C. nymphaeaefolia An East Indian 

 species about 4 ft. high, with peltate 

 heart-shaped sagittate leaves, remind- 

 ing one of those of the Water-lily. 



COMMELINA (named after J. and G. 

 Commelin, Dutch botanists), SPIDER- 

 WORT. Nat. Ord. Commelinacese. 

 Although there are ninety species of 

 herbaceous plants, annuals, deciduous 

 perennials, and evergreen climbers 

 belonging to this genus, the only one 

 worthy of note in this work is 



C. tuberosa (C. undidata). This is 

 a tuberous-rooted perennial plant, 

 about 18 ins. high, from Mexico. It 

 has oblong lance-shaped, pointed 

 leaves, sheathing at the base, and 

 there fringed with hairs. The bright 

 blue flowers, borne on downy stalks 

 issuing from heart-shaped, pointed 

 spathes, appear in June and July. 

 There is a fine white-flowered form 

 called alba, and another blue one 

 called elegans. The tuberous roots 

 of this species are edible when 

 cooked. (And. Bot. Rep. t. 399; 

 Lodd. Bot. Cab. t. 1553.) 



This species flourishes in warm 

 sheltered spots in the open air in the 

 milder parts of the Kingdom, but 

 in severe winters it is wise to cover 

 the roots with litter, etc. Propaga- 

 tion is effected by division of the 

 tuberous roots in spring, and by 

 sowing seeds. 



CONANTHERA (konos, a cone ; 

 anthera, an anther ; in reference to 

 the six anthers forming a cone in the 

 early stage of blossom). Nat. Ord. 

 Haemodoracese. A small genus of 

 plants closely related to Tecophilsea. 

 They have corms with netted fibrous 

 coats, narrow leaves, and loose 

 panicles of blue flowers. They are not 

 well-known plants, and are probably 

 only to be found occasionally in 

 botanical collections. Being natives 

 of Chili, they are regarded as only 

 half-hardy, and somewhat difficult 

 to grow successfully. They appear 

 to prefer a rich and very sandy soil 

 that is well drained, and they should 

 be planted in the hottest and most 

 sheltered part of the garden. If 

 treated in the same way as recom- 

 mended for the Mariposa Lilies 

 (Calochortus), or for some of the rarer 

 Bulbous Irises (see p. 294), it is possible 

 they would be able to go through the 

 winter. It is, however, safer to lift 

 the bulbs in autumn, and store them 

 in dry soil in a frost-proof place 

 during the winter. When replanting, 

 the offsets, if any, may be detached 

 from the older bulbs to increase the 

 stock. 



C. bifolia (C. Simsi). This species 

 with grassy leaves grows 6 to 18 ins. 

 high, and produces its blue flowers in 

 April. 



C. campanulata (Cumingia cam- 

 panulata) is very similar, and pro- 

 duces its blue flowers at the same 

 period (Bot. Reg. t. 1193; Bot. Mag. 

 t. 2496). 



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