RICHARDIA 



THE BULB BOOK 



RICHARDIA 



Fio. 299. Richardia africana, tuber. (J.) 



Fio. 300. Richardia africana. 



spadix in the centre. The plants 

 may be had in flower at almost any 

 period of the year according as they 

 are grown in warm or cool surround- 

 ings. (Bot. Mag. t. 832 ; Garden, 

 1888, i. 654.) 



There are variations from the type, 

 but the most distinct form is that 

 known as '"Little Gem," which is 

 about half the size of the ordinary 

 variety in foliage and flowers, and 

 "Childsi," another dwarf but very 

 free - flowering form (Gard. Chron. 

 1903, xxxii. 173, 188, 195). The 

 variety Nicolai is a remarkably strong 

 grower, with scapes 4^ to 5 ft. high, 

 and spathes 1 ft. or more across 

 (Garten/I. 1903, 201). 



When Arum Lilies have finished 

 their growth for the season, they 

 should be allowed to die down gradu- 

 ally, giving but little water. Many 

 growers plant them out during the 

 summer months, and lift and repot 

 them again about September. Others 

 leave them to dry off in the pots, 

 these being placed on their sides and 

 stacked up on each other, facing 

 south. When growth recommences, 

 the tubers are shaken out of the old 

 soil, and repotted into fresh rich 

 loam. 



R. albo-maculata. A species about 

 2 ft. high, having rather narrow 

 arrow-headed pointed leaves decor- 

 ated with white oblique and trans- 

 lucent stripes. The flowers are like 

 those of R. a/ricana, but smaller, 

 and tinged with green. (Bot. Mag. 

 t. 5140; Fl. d. Serr. t. 2258; 

 Gartenfl. t. 462.) This species crossed 

 with R. Elliottiana has produced a 

 hybrid called R. x Lathamiana (Gard. 

 1903, Ixiii. 419 ; Ixiv. 2) ; and crossed 

 with R. Elliottiana Rossi has pro- 

 duced a hybrid known as R. x 

 leucoxantha. 



R. aurata, with spotted leaves and 

 large yellow spathes, is considered to 

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