STENOMESSON 



THE BULB BOOK 



STERNBERGIA 



scarlet with distinct green stripes on 

 the segments (Bot. Mag. tt. 3867, 

 5686 ; Rev. Hart. 1890, t. 108) ; versi- 

 color, varying from scarlet to pale 

 brown (Hot. Reg. xxviii. t. 66). 



FIG. 815. Stenomesson incarnatum trichromvm. 



S. luteo-viride. This species has 

 round bulbs 3 ins. through, leaves a 

 foot long and 1 to Ij ins. broad, de- 

 veloped in April and May at the 

 same time as the flowers, the latter 

 being primrose-yellow tipped with 

 green, and 2 to 2j ins. long (Bot. 

 Mag. t. 6508). 



S. Pearcei. Bulbs ovoid, 2 ins. 

 through, long-necked. Leaves lance- 

 shaped, a foot long, developed after 

 the pale yellow funnel-shaped flowers, 

 which are borne on scapes 2 to 3 ft. 

 high. (Ref. Bot. t. 308.) 



S. recurvatum. The bulbs are 1 

 to \\ ins. in diameter, the narrow 

 leaves are about 1 ft. long, and the 

 reddish-yellow flowers, 2 to 2| ins. 



long, are borne on scapes 1 to H ft. 

 high (Re/. Bot. sub t. 308). 



S. suspensum. Bulbs ovoid 1 to 

 li ins. through ; leaves narrow lance- 

 shaped about 1 ft. long. Flowers 

 drooping, 1 to 1| ins. long, bright 

 scarlet. (Ref. Bot. t. 22.) 



S. viridiflorum (Callithawma viridi- 

 florum). The cylindrical - necked, 

 ovoid bulbs are H to 2 ins. in diameter, 

 and the leaves are about 1 in. broad. 

 The flowers with a curved tube 2 ins. 

 long, are entirely green, and are borne 

 on scapes H to 2 ft. high (Bot. Mag. 

 t. 3866, a). The variety aiigmtifoliwn 

 has narrower leaves (Bot. Mag. t. 

 3866, b) ; and the variety Elwesi has 

 the staminal cup deeply six-cleft, its 

 lobes quadrate and emarginate. 



STERNBERGIA (after Count Stern- 

 berg, a German botanist). Nat. Ord, 

 Amaryllideae. The Sternbergias are 

 charming little plants with long- 

 necked bulbs, strap -shaped leaves, 

 and bright yellow, erect, funnel - 

 shaped flowers. They are perfectly 

 hardy, and will flourish in any good 

 garden soil that has been deeply dug, 

 and is of a more or less gritty nature. 

 When grown in bold masses in the 

 rock-garden, shrubbery, grassland, or 

 flower-border, they are wonderfully 

 effective, the bright golden-yellow of 

 the blossoms being in striking con- 

 trast to the foliage. They are easily 

 increased by offsets, but the bulbs 

 should never be disturbed until the 

 leaves have completely withered* 

 The bulbs vary from i to 1 in. in 

 diameter in S. colchiciflora, to 2 ins. 

 in S. lutea, and should therefore be 

 planted from 3 or 4 to 6 ins. deep. 



S. colchiciflora. A very old garden 

 plant, native of S. Europe and Asia 

 Minor, having narrow leaves 3 to 4 

 ins. long in spring, at the same 

 time as the seed-pods are ripening. 

 The pale yellow sweet-scented flowers 



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