FUNKIA 



THE BULB BOOK 



GAGEA 



a rare form in which the leaves are 

 ornamented with a thin yellow mid- 

 rib, and another called robusta, re- 

 markable for its greater height and 

 vigour. 



F. grandiflora (F. japonica). A 

 handsome species 12 to 18 ins. high, 

 with long-stalked ovate heart-shaped 

 leaves 8 to 9 ins. long, and trusses 

 of pure white sweet-scented flowers 

 from July to September, each one 

 being about 4 ins. long (Fl. d. Serr. 

 t. 158 ; Gard. Chron. n.s. x. 629). 



P. lancifolia. A distinct plant 

 having tufts of green lance-shaped 

 wavy leaves 4 to 5 ins. long, narrowed 

 gradually towards each end. The 

 white or lilac- tin ted flowers, 1 to l 

 ins. long, appear in August on slender 

 scapes 8 to 9 ins. high, scarcely over- 

 topping the foliage. (Sot. Mag. t. 

 3663.) 



The variety albo-marginata is 

 distinguished by the silvery-white 

 edges of the leaves (Dot. Mag. t. 

 3657) ; and undvlata by its irregularly 

 frilled and wavy leaves ; its varie- 

 gated form has foliage heavily streaked 

 and blotched with white. 



P. longipes. This is closely related 

 to F. lancifolia, but has broader 

 leaves with the blade decurrent along 

 the petiole (Gard. 1903, Ixiv. 297). 



P. ovata (Hemerocallis coervled). 

 A fine free-growing species with long- 

 stalked ovate leaves 5 to 9 ins. long, 

 and racemes of bluish-lilac or white 

 flowers, produced from May to July, 

 on scapes 12 to 18 ins. high, over- 

 topping the foliage (Sot. Rep. t. 6; 

 Sot. Mag. t. 894 ; Red. Lil. t. 106). 

 The variety albo-marginata has the 

 leaves broadly edged with creamy- 

 white ; while aureo-marginata has 

 large golden-coloured leaves in spring 

 and summer only, changing gradually 

 to green in autumn. 



P. Sieboldiana. An elegant Plan- 

 tain Lily with long-stalked, broadly 



heart-shaped ovate leaves, 10 to 12 

 ins. long and 7 to 8 ins. broad, readily 

 recognised by their beautiful blue- 

 green tint. The white flowers 2 to 

 2| ins. long, more or less suffused 

 with pale lilac, appear in summer in 

 one-sided racemes well above the 

 foliage. (Sot. Mag. t. 3663 ; Sot. Reg. 

 1839, t. 50; Lodd. Sot. Cab. t. 1869.) 



The variegated forms cwullata 

 variegata, and medio-picta with a 

 white midrib, are both charming 

 plants, but somewhat less hardy than 

 the type, and therefore require more 

 sheltered spots or cold frames in 

 winter. 



P. subcordata (Hemerocallis alba; 

 H. japonica; H. plantaginea). 

 A fine species with heart-shaped 

 ovate pale green leaves 6 to 9 ins. 

 long, 3 to 5 ins. broad, on stalks 6 to 

 8 ins. long. The pure white flowers, 

 about 4 ins. long, appear in August 

 on scapes l to 2 ft. high. (And. Sot. 

 Rep. t. 194 ; Sot. Mag. t. 1433 ; Red. 

 Lil. t. 3.) 



Other forms are sinensis, spathu- 

 lata, univittata, and viridis. 



GAGEA (after Sir Thos. Gage, 

 botanist). Nat. Ord. Liliacese. A 

 genus containing about twenty-five 

 species of small hardy bulbous plants, 

 having narrow leaves and yellow 

 flowers in racemes or clusters, the six 

 perianth segments more or less spread- 

 ing. The Gageas are of no great 

 garden value, the only one being 

 G. lutea, a native of British copses 

 and pastures. It is called the 

 "Yellow Star of Bethlehem," owing 

 to its yellow flowers, which are striped 

 with green behind, and are borne 

 from March to May on a scape scarcely 

 6 ins. high. The bulbs are small and 

 round, and the leaves very narrow. 



This species flourishes in any good 

 garden soil in semi-shady places, and 

 is easily increased by means of offsets. 



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