WELDENIA 



THE BULB BOOK 



XANTHOSOMA 



high, and has leathery leaves 2 to 2i 

 ft. long, and spikes of funnel-shaped 

 bright rosy flowers from July to 

 October (Sot. Mag. t. 1072; Jacq. 

 Ic. t. 235). 



W. strictiflora. A little-known 

 species with narrow leaves about 6 to 

 12 ins. long, and spikes of erect scent- 

 less cherry-red flowers marked with 

 violet-purple in the throat (Bot. Mag. 

 t. 1416). 



FIG. 340. Watsonia Meriana 

 Ardernei. (J.) 



WELDENIA. Nat. Ord. Commelin- 

 acese. A genus containing only one 

 species 



W. Candida. A native of Mexico 

 and Guatemala, having fleshy tuberous 

 root-stocks, from which arise annually 

 six to eight strap-shaped leaves with 

 folding bases. The snow-white 

 flowers, about an inch across, are 

 borne on erect scapes in a cluster in 

 the centre of the leaves (Bot. Mag. 

 t. 7405). 



WILBBANDIA (after Joh. Bernh. 

 Willbrand, a German botanist, born 

 1789, died 1846). Nat. Ord. Cucur- 

 bitaceae. A little-known genus, the 

 only known species of which is 



W. drastica (Rhynchocarpa glom- 

 erata). A tuberous-rooted perennial 

 from Brazil, closely related to the 

 Bryony, and having digitately five- 

 lobed leaves and climbing stems 9 to 

 12 ft. long. The small whitish 

 flowers (males and females being 

 separate on each plant) are borne 

 in panicles, and are succeeded in 

 autumn by small egg-like fruits. 



This plant if worth growing at 

 all may be raised from seeds sown 

 in heat annually, the young plants 

 being placed in warm sunny spots 

 about May or June. 



WUBMBEA (after F. Van Wurmbe, 

 a Dutch Naturalist). Nat. Ord. 

 Liliacese. A little-known genus of 

 bulbous plants, having narrow leaves, 

 and short spikes of bell-shaped 

 flowers. They are natives of S. 

 Africa, and may be grown in a cool 

 greenhouse or frame, or in the open 

 air in the milder parts during the 

 summer months in sandy loam and 

 leaf-soil, and may be increased by 

 offsets. 



W. capensis (W. campanulata ; 

 Melanthium monopetalum). This is 

 the best-known species. It grows 

 from 6 to 12 ins. high, and has the 

 upper leaves linear, the lower ones 

 being lance-shaped, dilated, and 

 sheathing at the base. The white 

 flowers appear in May and June, and 

 if several plants are grown together 

 they look very pretty. (Bot. Mag. 

 t. 1291.) 



W. purpurea is very similar, but 

 has purplish flowers (Bot. Mag. t. 

 694). 



XANTHOSOMA ( xanthos, yellow ; 

 soma, a body; in reference to the 



454 



