WATSONIA 



THE BULB BOOK 



WATSONIA 



spike (Bot. Mag. t. 600 ; Fl. d. Serr. 

 t. 107). 



Fio. 338. Watsonia angusta. 



W. brevlfolia has narrow, pointed, 

 distichous leaves, those on the stems 

 being spathe-like. The scarlet flowers 

 appear about May and June in one 

 or two rows on the spikes. (Bot. 

 Mag. t. 601.) 



W. coccinea. A fine plant 1 to 2 

 ft. high, closely related to W. Meri- 

 ana, and having spikes of scarlet 

 flowers (Bot. Mag. t. 1194). 



W. densiflora. A fine species, 

 with narrow stiffish leaves l to 2 ft. 

 long, and spikes of soft rosy flowers 

 in June (Bot. Mag. t. 6400). 



W. humilis. A pretty plant 2 to 

 2i ft. high, with two rows of narrow 

 sword-shaped leaves 1 to li ft. long, 

 and deep rose-coloured flowers in 

 July and August (Bot. Mag. tt. 63, 

 1193). 



W. marginata. This species grows 

 3 ft. or more high, and has somewhat 

 leathery lance-shaped leaves 2 to 2j 



ft. long, and bright pink drooping 

 flowers (Bot. Mag. t. 608). There 

 is a smaller-flowered variety called 

 minor (Bot. Mag. t. 1530). 



W. Meriana (Antholyza Meriana). 

 This fine species, 1 to 2 ft. high, has 

 thickish lance-shaped, strongly -nerved 



453 



Fio. 339. Watsonia Meriana. (J.) 



leaves, and spikes of purple or scarlet 

 flowers in May or June (Bot. Mag. 

 t. 418). 



The variety iridifolia grows 

 about 3 ft. high, and has white 

 flowers (Bot. Mag. t. 600); rosea- 

 alba has white and rose blossoms 

 (Bot. Mag. tt. 537, 1193); and 

 Ardernei or O'Brieni is perhaps the 

 finest member of the genus. It 

 grows 4 ft. high, and has branched 

 stems bearing pure white funnel- 

 shaped flowers 2 ins. across (Fig. 

 340). 



W. punctata. This dwarf-growing 

 species, with narrow, flattish, or 

 rounded leaves has scarlet or violet 

 flowers in June (And. Bot. Rep. t. 

 177, as Ixia). 



W. rosea (Gladiolus iridtfolius). 

 This fine species grows 3 to 4 ft. 



