HERBERTIA 



THE BULB BOOK 



HERMAXXIA 



and July in loose clusters. (Bot. 

 Mag. t. 64 ; Red. Lit. t. 16.) 



There are several forms of this 

 species- anyiistifolia (or longituba), 

 with narrow leaves ; crocea, with 

 yellow flowers ; disticha, once con- 

 sidered a distinct species, having 

 flower-stems branched near the top, 

 and bearing trusses of yellow flowers 

 suffused with red within (Bot. May. 

 t. 1433). Kioanso is a variety with 

 large, double, bronzy, orange-coloured 

 flowers ; there is also a form of it 

 with handsome variegated foliage. 

 The variety flore plena has double 

 orange and crimson flowers. Cyprian* 

 is a distinct, dwarfer, and more 

 free-flowering form with coppery-red 

 blossoms having a golden centre, and 

 a golden band down the centre of the 

 segments. The variety hupehensis 

 has very bright coppery-red flowers 

 with a yellow throat, the petals being 

 very reflexed and wavy (Gard. 

 Chron. 1906, xl. 159). 



H. Middendorfl. This native of 

 Siberia and Japan resembles H. 

 Diimortieri, but has broader leaves 

 and paler golden - yellow funnel- 

 shaped flowers (Gartenfl. t. 522). 



H. minor (//. graminea}. This is 

 a distinct - looking species from 

 Siberia, N. China, and Japan. It 

 grows from 6 to 9 ins. high, and is 

 easily recognised by its very narrow, 

 keeled, and grass-like leaves. The 

 sweet-scented yellow flowers tinged 

 with green appear in June and July, 

 the three inner segments being wavy. 



H. Thunbergi. A pretty Japanese 

 plant about 2 ft. high, with soft 

 yellow or orange flowers in July. 



HERBERTIA (after the late Dean 

 Herbert, of Manchester, 1778-1847). 

 Nat. Ord. Irideae. A small genus of 

 half-hardy plants with small tuni- 

 cated bulbs, narrow linear leaves, and 

 short-tubed six-parted flowers, borne 



on top of a short scape, the three 

 inner segments being short-clawed. 



These pretty little plants are not 

 quite hardy, and should be grown 

 either in pots or pans in a cold frame 

 or greenhouse, or in warm borders in 

 the mildest parts of the Kingdom. 

 They like a mixture of sandy loam 

 and peat, and may be increased by 

 seeds and offsets. 



H. Amatorum. A native of 

 Uruguay, with brown-coated corms, 

 lance-shaped, tapering leaves 8 ins. 

 or more long, and violet flowers 

 about 2 ins. across (Kew Bull. 1907, 

 321). 



H. Drummondiana (//. ccerulea). 

 Also from Texas, but with broad 

 plaited leaves and violet flowers 

 spotted with white on the claws (Bot. 

 Mag. t. 3862, f. 3). 



H. pulchella. This is the best- 

 known species, native of Chili and 

 S. Brazil. It grows about 9 ins. 

 high, and has narrow plaited leaves 

 and blue or purple flowers, the seg- 

 ments of which are bearded at the 

 base. (Bot. Mag. t. 3862, figs. 1, 2.) 

 H. amceiia seems to be very closely 

 related. 



Other species of Herbertia are, H. 

 brasiliensis, with blue outer segments, 

 and yellow inner ones spotted with 

 violet ; H. stricta, violet ; H. ungui- 

 culata, lilac ; and H. Watsoni, purple. 



HERMANNIA (after Paul Her- 

 mann, a German botanist). Nat. Ord. 

 Sterculiaceae. A genus containing 

 about eighty species, herbs or uncler- 

 shrubs, distributed over Mexico or 

 Texas, Tropical Africa and Arabia, 

 but mostly natives of S. Africa. The 

 leaves are toothed or deeply cut, 

 and the stipules often foliaceous. 

 The flowers have the sepals, petals, 

 stamens, and styles in fives, and 

 the sessile or slightly stalked ovary 

 also has five cells. 



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