COLCHICUM CONVALLARIA. 



93 



Colchicum alpinum (Alpine Meadow 

 Saffron). An interesting and pretty 

 alpine bulb, a little over 1 in. high. 

 Flowers, in autumn ; bell - shaped, 

 of a deep rose-colour, one bloom from 

 each bulb. Leaves, linear, erect, 2 to 

 24 in. long, narrowed at the base, ap- 

 pearing in February and March. Bulb 



small. Alps of Europe. The rock- 



and choice bulb - garden, in deep 

 sandy loam ; also for the margins of 

 the mixed border, and as edgings in 

 the spring garden, when sufficiently 

 plentiful. Separation of the bulbs, and 

 seed. 



Colchicum Bivonae (Bivoncts 0.) A 

 pretty and at present uncommon kind. 

 flowers, in autumn; radical, elegantly 

 marked with alternate chequers of 

 white and purple, chess-board fashion ; 

 petals elliptical- oblong. Leaves, linear, 

 grooved, not wavy at the edges. 

 Native of Sicily, the kingdom of 



Naples, Greece, and Portugal. The 



rock- and choice bulb-garden, at least 

 till more plentiful, and in deep sandy 

 loam. Separation of the bulbs, and 

 seed. 



Colchicum autumnale (Meadow Saf- 

 fron.} A well-known plant. Flowers, 

 in autumn ; numerous, bright purple, 

 with very long tubes, appearing before 

 the leaves. Leaves, erect, lanceolate, 

 dark green, smooth, 1 ft. long, and 

 often an inch or more broad. Bulb, 

 large, egg-shaped, dark brown on the 

 outside. There are numerous varieties 

 of this plant. Many parts of Europe, 



in moist meadows. Borders, and 



as edgings to beds of autumn flowers, 

 and occasionally dotted over the grass ; 

 it may be often seen in a wild state. 

 It does best in a moist soil, but thrives 

 in all ordinary garden soils. Separa- 

 tion of bulbs. 



Colchicum byzantinum (Byzantine C.) 

 A fine species. Flowers, in autumn ; 

 larger than those of C. autumnale, of a 

 pale rose-colour, with elliptical-oblong 



segments, 12 to 15 from each bulb. 

 Leaves, broad, undulating, plaited, dark 

 green, 4 or 5 innumber. Bulb, very large, 

 roundish, depressed. The Levant, in 



the vicinity of Constantinople. 



Borders, and the bulb- and rock-gar- 

 den, in good deep soil. This, like 

 the preceding and following kinds, is 

 very suitable for association with the 

 autumn -blooming crocuses and other 

 plants flowering at that season. Sepa- 

 ration of the bulbs, and seed. 



Colchicum variegatum ( Variegated 

 Meadow Saffron). C. Agrippince. A 

 prettily chequered kind. Flowers, in 

 autumn; rose-colour, marked with 

 purple-violet chequers like 0. Bivonce ; 

 petals lanceolate, acute. Leaves, 

 oblong-lanceolate, grooved, wavy on 

 the edges. Bulb similar to that of C. 

 autumnale. Native of the Islands of 

 the Archipelago, and also found in 

 Asia Minor, in the neighbourhood of 



Smyrna. Borders, edgings, and the 



lower parts of the rock-garden. This 

 thrives everywhere as freely as the 

 common Meadow Saffron. Separation 

 of the bulbs. 



Commelina coelestis (Blue Spider- 

 wort}. A very pretty vividly-coloured 

 plant, l^ to 2 ft. high. Flowers, in 

 summer ; small, of a deep sky-blue, 

 grouped on the ends of axillary foot- 

 stalks, and enveloped by a rather in- 

 flated leafy spathe, from which they 

 issue in succession ; the unequal petal 

 oval or roundish, almost sessile, and 

 frequently falling before the other 

 two. Leaves, oval-lanceolate-acute, 

 sheathing at the base, sessile, fringed 

 at the edges. Root, tuberous, swollen, 

 fasciculate. There are two pretty 

 varieties, Q. c. alba and C. c. variegata. 



Mexico. Sunny borders, in very 



light, warm soil, or on slopes and banks 

 having the same advantages. Division 

 and seed. 



Convallaria bifolia (Two-leaved C.) 

 Smilacina bi/olia. A pretty and 



