BLOOMERIA 



167 



''k 



roots, with a drier atmosphere than most other Ferns re - 

 quire, to prevent fronds from turning brown during win- 

 ter months. Average temp. 60-65° F. Soil, equal parts 

 of rich loam and leaf -mold or peat. The^^pores of most 

 Blechnums germinate very freely if sown on 

 a compost of loam and leaf -mold or peat in 

 equal parts, and placed in a moderately 

 moist and shady position in a temp, of 60- 

 65° F. Some of the species send out creep- 

 ing rhizomes, which develop young plants at 

 the ends. When of sufficient size these may 

 be detached and potted, and in a short time 

 they will develop into good specimens. 

 Some very attractive spe- 

 cies are found among the 

 ^ hardy British Blechnums. 



' Cult, by N. N. Bruckner. 



1 A. Pinnm strongly decurrent 



: ^ at the base, joining with 



f ]\ the one next below. 



Brasilifinse, Desv. Grow- 

 ing from a stout, slightly ar- 

 borescent trunk 1 ft. or more 

 long : Ivs. 2-3 ft. long, 1 ft. 

 or more wide, with the pinnee 

 set at an acute angle with 

 the rachis, the lower much 

 shorter and more distant, 

 raz. S. 2:i. 



nitidum, Presl. Habit of 

 B. BrasHiense, but much 

 smaller: Ivs. pinnate; pinnfe 

 oblong-falcate, thickish, 2—4 

 in. long, serrate. Braz.— 

 Plant 1-2 ft. high. 



Corcovadfinse, Raddi. 

 Pinnse not cut to the rachis, 

 much crowded and shorter 

 than the last ; longest pinnae 

 less than 6 in. long, attenu- 

 ate at the tips ; Ivs. crimson 

 when young, and gradually 

 turning to a metallic 

 before becoming perma- 

 nently green. By some con- 

 sidered a variety of B. Bra- 

 siliense. Braz. Var. crispum, Hort., with wavy edges, 

 may be commoner in cult, than the type. 



AA. Pinn(e contracted at the base to the midrib, 

 forming a very short stalk. 

 occideiitd,le, Linn. Lvs. from an erect caudex, which 

 is covered with brownish scales : lvs. 9-18 in. long, 4-6 in. 

 wide, with the pinnae truncate or even cordate at the 

 base and slightly falcate. Mex. and W. Ind. to Braz. 

 See Fig. 240. 



Berruiatiun, Rich. Growing from an ascending nearly 

 naked rootstock : lvs. 1-2 ft. long, 6-15 in. wide, with 

 numerous narrow pinnse, which are contracted at the 

 base and of nearly uniform width throughout ; margins 

 finely serrulate; texture coriaceous. Fla. to Braz. 



Ji. orientdle, Linn., is a large East Indian and Polynesian 

 Fern, with lvs. often 3 ft. long ; well worthy of ciUtivatio;i. 

 L. M. Underwood. 

 BLEEDING HEABT. See Dicentra. 



BLfiPHAEIS (Greek, eyelash; referring to fringed 

 bracts). AcanthAeecr. An unimportant genus of dwarf, 

 often spiny shrubs and herbs, allied to Acanthus, and of 

 similar culture. 



carduifdlia, T.Anders. {Acdnfhus carduifdlitis, Linn. 

 Acanthbdium carduifolius, Nees). Plant villous : lvs. 

 lanceolate, sinuate-dentate, spiny : spike terminal, 

 cylindrical : bracts roundish, palmately 5-spiiied at 

 the apex. 



BLfiTIA ( Louis Blet, Spanish botanist) . Orchid&cea, 

 tribe Epid^ndrece. Terrestrial or epiphytal herbs, widely 

 distributed : lvs. plicate, membranaceous, sheathing the 

 St., erfect. This genus lends itself readily to cultivation, 



0. Blechnu 





but is not showy enough to be popular. They need a 

 long season of rest. The commonly cult, kinds are ter- 

 restrial, and thrive in ordinary orchid loam. 



hyacinthlna, R. Br. Lvs. about 1 ft. long: fls. looking 

 down, in various shades of purple, on a scape about 1 ft. 

 high. China. B.M. 1492, as Cymbidium hyaeinthinum. 

 — Stands some frost. 



vereciinda, R. Br. The first exotic Orchid introduced 

 (1731). Racemes showyand branching, 2-3 ft. : fls. pur- 

 plish. W. Ind. ; also in Middle and E. Fla. 



Shfipherdii, Hook. Very like the litst, and perhaps a 

 form of it : fls. deep purple ; center of labellum yellow. 

 B.M. 3319. 



Sherratiina, Bateman. Lf.-blades pointed at both 

 ends : fls. large, more showy than in the above, brilliant 

 lilac or rose color; labellum purple, with 3 golden yellow 

 lines. New Grenada. B.M. 5646. 



ptltula. Hook. Fls. deep pink-lilac, numerous and large 

 (2 in. across). B.M. 3518. — Requires culture given 

 Cattleyas. 



, campanuUta, La Llave & Lex. Fls. bell-like, purple, 

 with white center. Mex.— Not common in cult. 



B. aphylla, Nutt., is a native species growing as far N. as 

 N.CaroUna.-i.rdnierjjiiiecE.E.Br., is aPhaius. 



Oakes Ames. 



BLIGHT. An indefinite term, popularly used to desig- 

 nate any sudden and inexplicable death of plants. The 

 term is now restricted by botanists to parasitic diseases. 

 These diseases are of two classes,— those due to bacteria 

 or microbes, and those due to parasitic fungi. For an 

 account of these troubles, see Diseases. 



BLUE. See Chenopodium. 



BLOODROOT. See Sanguinaria. 



BLOOMfiBIA (named for Dr. H. G. Bloomer). Lili- 



Aceie. A genus of two species, natives of southern 

 California. In every way they are closely allied to 

 Brodiaea, but differ in having the perianth parted 

 nearly to the base. Bloomerias have a flattish corm. 

 much like Crocus, covered with fiber, and not often pro- 

 ducing offsets. The lvs. are 

 radical, slender, and grass- 

 like; scape slender but stiff, 

 high, naked, ex- 

 cept for short bracts be- 

 neath the many-rayed ur 

 bel ; pedicels slender, 

 jointed; fls. nearly rotate, 

 less than an inch across, 

 orange. Bloomerias prefei 

 a sandy, warm and well- 

 drained soil. In northern 

 California, with a minimum 

 operature of 15° above 

 ro, they are perfectly 

 rdy. In a colder climate, 

 " ag of straw or leaves 

 ition in the cold- 

 frame would be a judicious 

 precaution. Plant early, and 

 see that the soil is light and 

 sweet. They like the sun, 

 and are good for forcing. 

 The light soil and warmth of 

 a pot more nearly approxi- 

 mates natural conditions 

 than the open 

 ground does in cool- 

 er climates. After 

 ripening. It 

 is best to dig 

 and replant 

 in fall. The 

 seeds grow 

 readily, and 

 the plants 

 flower in 3 

 to 4 years. 

 ailrea, Kellogg. Fig. 241. Scape roughish, 6-18 in.: 

 E. /4-Xin. broad: fls. numerous, bright o'fange, in a 



