168 



BLOOMERIA 



BOMAREA 



dense umbel: stamens nearly as long as the perianth, 

 the filaments dilated at the base. B.M. 5896 (as Nothos- 

 cordumatireum). G.C. III. 20: 687. 



Old velandi, Wats. More slender: Ivs. 3-7: fls. smaller, 

 keeled with brown, the stamens shorter. G.C. III. 20 : 687. 

 Less valuable than the other. -, PTTRDV 



BLUEBELL. See Campanula. 

 BLUEBERRY. Species of Vaccinium. 

 BLUE FLAG. See Iris. 

 BLUETS. See Houstonia. 



BLUMENBACHIA (after Dr. J. F. Blumenbach, .pro- 

 fessor at Gb'ttingen) . Loasacece. A genus of S. American 

 plants allied to Loasa and Mentzelia (Mexican prickly 

 poppy), not cult, in Amer. because of their covering of 

 stinging hairs. The fls. are odd and pretty. The gar- 

 den forms are mostly treated as tender annuals. 



B. Chiquitensis, Hook, f . Lvs. 8-10 in. long : fls. l%-2 in. 

 long, brick red, tipped yellow without, and yellow Within ; 

 petals 5-10, boat-shaped. Peru, Equador. B.M. 6143. -B. grandi- 

 flbra, G. Don (B. contorta, Hook. f. B.M. 6134). Lvs. 4-6 in. 

 long : fls. l%-2 in. long, wholly red ; scales %in. long, cup- 

 shaped, green ; stamens in 5 bundles, with long filaments. 

 Peru. B. insignis, Schrad. Stem climbing, 4-sided: petals 

 white, ungmculate. B.M. 2865. 



BOCCONIA (after Dr. Paslo Bocconi, Sicilian botanist 

 and author). Papaveracece. PLUME POPPY. A genus of 

 5 species, of which .B. cordata is the only one worthy of 

 cultivation. The large, handsome, glaucous Ivs. remind 

 one, by their texture and lobing, of bloodroot and Sty- 

 lophorum, which belong to allied genera. The fls. are 

 very unlike our common poppies, being small and with- 

 out petals, but they are borne in great feathery or 

 plumy masses, in terminal panicles raised high above 

 the heavy foliage, making the plant unique in its 

 picturesque general appearance. Hence, it is much used 

 for isolated lawn specimens, or for very bold and strik- 

 ing effects, being especially adapted to be viewed at 

 long distances. It is also placed in shrubberies, wild 

 gardens, and at the back of wide borders, as it spreads 



242. Bocconia cordata. 



rapidly by suckers, any one of which, if detached, will 

 make a strong plant in a single season. The Plume 

 Poppy seems to be much hardier in America than in the 

 Old World. It was popular early in the century, but was 

 neglected, probably because it spread so rapidly. 



Lately it has become popular again. It deserves to be 

 permanently naturalized in the American landscape. 

 To produce the largest specimens, it is well to plant in 

 very rich soil, give the old clumps liquid manure in 

 spring, and cut off the suckers. Prop, chiefly by suckers. 



cordata, Willd. (B. Japdnica, Hort.). Pig. 242. Hardy 

 herbaceous perennial : height 5-8 ft.: Ivs. large, glau- 

 cous, heart-shaped, much-lobed, deeply veined : fls. 

 pinkish ; stamens about 30. China, Japan. B.M. 1905. 

 Gn. 54, p. 279. Gng.5:342. 



J. B. KELLER and W. M. 



BCEHMERIA (G. R. Boahmer, a German botanist). 

 Urticacece. Many widely distributed species. B. nivea, 

 Gaud.* of trop. Asia, is cult, in some countries as a fiber 

 plant, and has been introduced into this country for that 

 purpose. It is a strong-growing, large-lvd. perennial, 

 well suited to the border as an ornamental subject. 

 B.argentea, Lind., a stove plant, is useful for subtropi- 

 cal bedding ; but it is not in the Amer. trade. 



BOLANDRA (H. N. Bolander, Californian botanist). 

 Saxifragacece. Two species of small west American 

 herbs, with purplish fls. in lax corymbs ; petals 5. in- 

 serted on the throat of the 5-lobed calyx ; stamens 5, 

 alternate with petals. Delicate herbs, suitable for rock- 

 work. 



Oregana, Wats. A foot or two high, pubescent and 

 glandular : Ivs. laciniately toothed and lobed : fls. deep 

 purple ; tube of the calyx equaling the teeth and a little 

 shorter than the petals : pedicels reflexed in front. 

 Oregon. -Int. by Gillett in 1881. 



The first-described species, B. Californica, Gray, 

 seems not to have been offered in the trade. It is a 

 smaller species, less pubescent, with smaller fls., the 

 lower Ivs. round -reniform and 5-lobed : plant 3-12 in. 

 high, the stems weak and slender. 



BOLDOA FRAGRANS, cult, in S. Calif. See Peumus. 

 BOLETUS. Consult Mushrooms. 

 BOLLEA. See Zygopetalum. 



BOLTONIA (James Bolton, English botanist). Com- 

 pdsitce. FALSE CHAMOMILE. Four or 5 species of aster- 

 like glabrous, often glaucous herbs of the United States 

 and eastern Asia. They are tall and leafy plants, bloom- 

 ing profusely in late summer and autumn, and excellent 

 for the hardy border. Differs from aster in having a 

 convex receptacle, short pappus bristles and awns, and 

 other technical characters. Boltonias are of easiest cul- 

 ture. They take care of themselves when once estab- 

 lished. Prop, by division. Should be better known to 

 gardeners. They stand without staking. 



asteroides, L'Her. (B.glastifdUa,L'B.er.). Sts.2-8ft., 

 simple below and branching at the top : Ivs. broadly 

 lanceolate or the upper narrower: heads short-peduncled, 

 numerous, the rays varying from white to violet and 

 purple; involucre "bracts lanceolate and acute, greenish; 

 scales of the pappus numerous and conspicuous, the 

 two awns sometimes missing. Pa. to 111. and S. B.M. 

 2381,2554. Mn. 1:33. -Perennial. 



latisquama, Gray. A handsomer plant, with larger 

 and more showy heads with blue-velvet rays : invo- 

 lucre bracts oblong or obovate and obtuse (often bear- 

 ing a minute point); pappus scales small, the awns 

 present and conspicuous. Kans. and Mo. G.F. 5: 271. 

 Perennial. 



B. CantonUnsis, Franch. & Sav., is native to Japan, 

 where the young plants are used for greens. See George- 

 son, A.G. 13, p. 8, fig. 4. It is annual. Has not yet ap- 

 peared in the Amer. trade. Gray restricts Boltonia to 

 the U. S., and regards this species as of another genus. 



L. H. B. 



BOMAREA (derivation doubtful). Amaryllidacew. 

 Tender South American plants allied to Alstrcemeria, 

 and with similar fls. but a twining habit. Lvs. parallel- 

 veined, usually borne on short, twisted petioles: fls. in 

 pendulous umbels, variously colored and spotted, borne 

 in early spring and summer : perianth funnel-shaped : 

 tube none. See Baker, AmaryHideae. 



Bomareas delight in a rich, fibrous soil, and require 

 plenty of water during the growing season, which com- 



