NERINE 



NEEINE 



1077 



tumn-blooming habit and fls. of the same general ap- 

 pearance as true I^erine. Nerines have two distinct 

 types of beauty, illustrated by Figs. 1476 and 1477. 

 The kinds with the narrow perianth segments, which 

 are crisped or fluted, have a spidery look and are not as 

 popular as the kinds with broad, flat segments, which 

 make a showier cluster of fls. The segments vary from 

 one-twelfth to one-half an inch in width. The showiest 

 kinds are hybrids or varieties of iV, Sarniensis and 

 iV. curvifolia, the former species being the most pro- 

 lific of varieties. In these two species the strong, ver- 

 tical lines of the erect, long-protruded stamens make a 

 striking feature. The fls. of the other species have 

 more of a drooping tendency and the stamens are 

 shorter and declinate, as in Fig. 1477, iV. pudlca is 

 perhaps the choicest white-fld. kind. Nerines have 

 bulbs 1-2 in. or less in diam., and about 6 Ivs., varying 

 from 8-18 in. in length and 4-9 lines in width. Among 

 the uncultivated kinds are some with short, stout 

 scapes and others with appendages at the base of the 

 filaments. The Ivs. appear after the fls. in the first two 

 species, but with the fls. in the others. Baker, Hand- 

 book of the AmaryllidefB, 1888, and Flora Capensis, 

 vol. 6, 1896-7. 



The following American experience is condensed from 

 an article by the late John Robertson, in the Florists' 

 Review 1:675. 



Nerines are noted for the sparkling texture of their 

 fls. In strong light they have the appearance of being 

 frosted over. No flower with which the writer is ac- 

 quainted appears to better advantage under artificial 

 light than iV. FofhergiUi, var. major. 



The secret of success with Nerines is to secure the 

 fullest possible development of the bulbs. This refers 

 to their winter treatment. They enjoy abundance of 

 water at the root and overhead, with occasional appli- 

 cations of liquid manure. This treatment should 

 never cease until the Ivs. turn yellow, which is a 

 sign that the plants are finishing their growth. ,-•■'. .,, 

 Then diminish the water supply gradually, lay the .^'^ 

 pots on their sides where they are not likely to get 

 wet, and in full sunlight, so that the bulbs may 

 ripen thoroughly. 



Nerines do not like to have their roots disturbed, nor 

 ■do they require much root room: they grow and flower 

 best when hard pot-bound. Three bulbs planted in good 

 fibrous loam with a little sand may remain in a 5-inch pot 

 for five or six years, or even longer, as the offsets can be 

 rubbed off and separately potted while the parent bulbs 

 go on increasing in size. Each year as the flower-scape 

 appears pick off about an inch of the surface soil with a 

 sharp-pointed stick, and give the ball of roots a good 

 soaking and a slight top-dressing. 



1. Sarniensis, Herb. Guernsey Lilt. Lvs. linear, not 

 curved laterally: fls. bright crimson; perianth segments 

 hardly crisped. B. M. 294.- Var. PUntii, (N. Pldiitii, 

 Hort. ) has a longer scape, duller fls., and more distinctly 

 clawed segments. Gn. 21:329. Var. venusta has bright 

 scarlet fls. produced earlier than any of the other varie- 

 ties. B.M. 1090 (&% Amaryllis venusta). Var. rdsea has 

 lvs. darker green than the type: tls. rose-red : seeds ob- 

 long instead of globose. B.M. 2124 (as If. rosea}. Var. 

 corusca (iV. conisca, Herb.) has bulb tunics not chaffy: 

 lvs. broader than in the type, with distinct cross-bars 

 between the main veins: fls. large, bright scarlet. B.M. 

 10S9 {as AmorylUs huynilis}. Gn. 21:329. iV. corusca 

 major has rich crimson-red fls. Var. cambsa, Van Tu- 

 bergen, carmine rosy. Var. insignis, Hort. Krelage, is 

 considered by Baker synonymous with the type, but is 

 probably horticulturally distinct. The flowers are said 

 to be rosy. 



BB. Lvs. glaucous, sickle-shaped. 

 2. curvifdlia. Herb. Lvs. strap-shaped, curved later- 

 ally, tliii'ki-r fliMTi in N. Sarniensis : fls. bright scarlet: 

 perianth seA,'mints hardly crisped. B.M. 725 (as ^ma- 

 ryllis curvifolia ). R. B. 22:13. -Cult, only in the form 

 of var. F6thergilll (N. Fdthergilli, Roem.), which is more 

 robust in all |i:irts (Pig. 1470): fls. more numerous, be- 

 tween crim.M.ii :iiid scarlet. Gn. 22, p. 403. Var. Father- 

 gilli major (N. F6thergilli mi)jor, Hort.) is a form with 

 still larger fls. P.R. 1 : 675. 



Nerine Manselli (X %). 



AA. Stamens and style declined. 



B. Outer fls. of the umbel opening before the inner ones, 



C. Segments distinctly crisped or fluted. 



3. flexudsa. Herb. Scape flexuous, longer than in the 

 other kinds, sometimes 2-3 ft. long: fls. generally pale 

 pink. Var. pulch^lla has glaucous lvs., firmerthan in the 

 type: scape not flexuous : fls. pale pink, keeled rose-red. 

 B.M.2iO'iindGn. 2\:329 (nsN. pnlchella). N.fleinosa, 

 var. pudica was offered in 1890 by Reasoner Bros. N. 

 MdnselU, O'Brien, Pig. 1477, is a fine hybrid between 

 N. flexuosa and Fothergilli. Gn. 50:1400. 



CO. Segments hardly crisped. 



4. piidica. Hook. Lvs. 4-0, glaucous: umbels 4-6- 

 Hd., the other kinds being 8-20-fld. : fls. white, keeled 

 pink above, H in. wide; stamens a little shorter than 

 the perianth. F.S. 22:2404. Gn. 21:329. -Showy, not 

 spidery. 



BB. Outer fls. opening after the inner ones. 

 c. Length of perianth segments /4-% in. 



5. undul&ta. Herb. Fls. pale pink, very much 

 crisped. B.M. 309 (as Amaryllis undulata) . 



CO. Length of perianth segments 1-1% in. 



6. ht^milis, Herb. Scape often smaller than in the 

 other kinds, }4-\% ft. high: fls. bright pink or rose-red, 

 somewhat crisped. B.M. 726 (as Amaryllis humilis), 

 Gn. 21:329. — Var. spldndens, Hort. Krelage, is pre- 

 sumably the best form of this species. Fls. purple- 

 crimson. 



The following names are mostly important hybrids which in 

 many cases are more popular than the species: N. aindbilis 

 (pudica X humilis), rosy, dark-striped. Var. grandiflora, 

 Hort. Van Tubergen, has larger fls.— JV. crispa, Hort. Thor- 

 bum, scarlet.— iV. e^e^ans (flexuosa X Sarniensis. var. rosea), 

 pink. Var. carminata, cerise. V.ar. ccerulea, shaded blue.— iV. 

 excMlens, Moore (flexuosa X humilis, var. majorh carmine 

 rosy, dark-striped.- A^. Hdylocki (curvifolia X flexuosa. var, 

 pulchella) . One of the oldest hybrids in cult. Raised by Wm, 

 Herbert. The others in this list are more modem.— A^. Japdnica, 

 Miq.=Lycoris radiata. — JV. Md7isetli (flexuosa X curvifolia, 

 var. Fothergilli), w,%rm pink, late. See No. 3.—N. Meadow- 

 banHi (Sarniensis X curvifolia, var. Fothergilli).— iV. O'Brleni 

 (pudica X Sarniensis, var. Plantii). Var. coemlea. Van Tu' 

 bergen, pale violet, tinged blue.— A'^. tardiflbra. Hort. Van Tu 

 bergen, not accounted for by Baker. Fls. bright red in Dec. 



W. M. 



