1896 



VALERIANELLA 



kinds and specially suited to cold weather and long : dis- 

 tance shipment. The cabbaging T^f ?/f ers fl f m 

 the others in forming a heart or head of fine flavor 

 Unfortunately it is the least productive type, but i 

 bears shipment well. 



eriocarpa, Desv. ITALIAN CORN SALAD. Distin- 

 guished from the common species by the lighter color 

 of the Ivs., which are slightly hairy and somewhat 

 toothed on the edges towards the base. The plant n 

 native to the south of Europe, where it is highly es- 

 teemed because it does not run to seed as quickly in a 

 warm climate. It is undesirable for northern climates. 



. W. M. 



VALLISNllBIA (Antonio Vallisneri, 1661-1730, Italian 

 naturalist). Hydrocharid&cew. About 4 species of 

 aquatic plants, including the well-known Eel-grass or 

 Tape-grass. This is found in fresh water all over the 

 world. It is a submerged plant with linear Ivs. %-G ft. 

 long, depending on the depth of the water. The Ivs. 

 originate in a tuft at the bottom of the water, and the 

 plant spreads by runners sent out from these tufts. 

 Eel-grass is usually found in quiet waters. It has no 

 horticultural rank, except as an aquarium plant. Like 

 many other aquarium plants, it has special interest for 

 students of botany. The pistillate fls. are borne on very 

 long spiral threads and come to the surface as shown in 

 Pig. 2634. The staminate fls. are borne on very short 

 stalks near the bottom of the water. At the proper time 

 the staminate fls. break away from their stalks and rise 

 to the surface of the 

 water. As they float 

 about, some of the pol- 

 len is conveyed to the 

 pistillate fls., and in 

 this haphazard way the 

 blossoms are fertilized 

 and seed is produced. 

 Both kinds of fls. are 

 very small, and they are 

 borne on separate plants. 

 Eel-grass is readily col- 

 lected, or can be pro- 

 cured from dealers in 

 aquarium supplies or 

 from collectors of native 

 plants. The plant is 

 sometimes called "wild 

 celery," because it is 

 said to impart a celery- 

 like flavor to wild ducks 

 that feed on it. For ge- 

 n e r i c characters, see 

 Gray's Manual or Brit- 

 ton and Brown's Illus- 

 trated Flora. 



spiralis, Linn. EEL- 

 GRASS. . TAPE - GRASS. 

 Fig. 2634. Hardy sub- 

 merged aquatic plant : 

 Ivs. thin, linear, 5- 

 nerved, sometimes ser- 

 rate near the apex: fls. white. Aug., Sept. B.B. 1:93. 

 E.B. 20, p. 194. V. 4:157. 



WM. THICKER and W. M. 



VALLOTA (Pierre Vallot, French botanist; wrote an 

 account of the garden of Louis XIII in 1623). Amaryl- 

 liddcece. The SCARBOROUGH LILY, Vallota purpurea, 

 is a South African representative of the American genus 

 Hippeastrum, popularly known as "Amaryllis." It is a 

 bulbous plant with large, red, funnel-shaped, C-lobed 

 flowers, blooming in September and later. A pair of well- 

 grown specimens in large pots or tubs make a showy 

 ornament for the porch. Plants have been grown 

 with over 50 flower trusses, each truss bearing an um- 

 bel of 4-9 fls., the individual fls. being 3-4 in. or more 

 across. Vallota is a genus of only one species and is 

 distinguished from Hippeastrum by the seeds being 

 winged at the base. The tube of the flower is longer 

 than in the typical Hippeastrums and at the base of 

 ach perianth-segment is a cushion-shaped callus some- 

 what different from the minute scales or distinct neck 

 that is often found at the throat of a Hippeastrum. 



2634. Eel-erass-Vallisneria 

 spiralis. (Reduced.' 



VALLOTA 



Other generic characters : Perianth erect; tube broadly 

 funnel-shaped; segments equal, ascending, broad, 

 connivent; stamens inserted below the throat: ovules 

 many, superposed: stigma capitate: seeds black, com- 

 pressed. It has recently been proposed that Vallota be 

 considered a subgenus of Cyrtantlms. The latter is a 

 group of about 20 species of plants with fls. of various 

 colors and naked at the throat. Cyrtanthus proper and 



2635. Scarborough Lily Vallota purpurea. 

 (From a specimen 2 feet high) 



the subgenus Monella have beautiful pendulous fls. in 

 umbels, but the plants are not as easy to grow as Val- 

 lota. It has been suggested that they be crossed with 

 the more robust Vallota in the hope of combining their 

 varied colors and pendulous grace with the strong con- 

 stitution of the Vallota. Such a process would be simi- 

 lar to the one by which the noble race of Hippeastrum 

 hybrids has been given to the world. Vallota is un- 

 doubtedly related to Cyrtanthus through the subgenus 

 Gastronema, which has erect fls. and differs chiefly in 

 the stamens. Of this subgenus C. sanguineus is in the 

 trade now. The best form of Vallota seems to be the 

 variety magnified. 



purpurea, Herb. SCARBOROUGH LILY. Fig. 2635. 

 Bulb large: Ivs. appearing with the fls., strap-shaped, 

 l%-2 ft. long, dying down in autumn: peduncle hollow, 

 slightly 2-edged, 2-3 ft. long: fls. scarlet. Gn. 30, p. 245; 

 42, p. 273. R.H. 1870:50 ( V. grandiflora). A.F. 9:211. 

 Gng. 2:361. A.G. 1893:81. -The typical form has scapes 

 about \Y<i ft. high and blood-red fls. 2% in. across. Var. 

 major, Hort., is 3 ft. high and has fls. over 3 in. across. 

 B.M. 1430 (Amaryllis purpurea). Var. minor, Hort., is 

 smaller than the type in all parts. B.R. 7:552 (Amaryl- 

 lis purpurea, var. minor). Var. eximia, Bull., has fls. 

 4 in. across, with whitish, feather-like blotches on the 

 base of the perianth-segments. Var. magnifica, Hort., 

 is probably the best and most robust form: fls. 5 in. 

 across, with a white eye. Colors said to be brighter 

 and more uniform than in any other kind. Gn. 30:244. 

 G.C. III. 3:240. w. M. 



The Scarborough Lily is generally rated as a green- 

 house bulb, but it can be grown by the amateur who has 

 no glass, provided the plant can be kept over winter in 

 a well-lighted cellar. Many people have had no success 

 with Vallota. Such failures are generally due to the 

 plants being kept too dry during winter. Although 

 Baker says the leaves die down at the Cape in autumn, 

 the plant acts like an evergreen in cultivation. Unlike 

 the majority of bulbous plants, the Vallota should never 

 be dried off but kept moderately moist about the roots 

 throughout the year. The Vallota is also strongly op- 

 posed to interference with its roots. It is possible to 

 preserve a flowering specimen in most luxuriant health 



