AND THEIR CULTURE. 



107 



stony hills in Chinese Mongolia. All the bulbs of this section have 

 few, but thick wax-like scales, which are not only as a rule closely 

 imbricate, but folded round each other in a more or less convolute 

 manner. The only Lily which has bulbs anything like these three 

 types is the Indian Polyphyllum, except that Mr. Elwes remarks, 

 that he has seen somewhat similar bulbs (presumably those of 

 a species of Lily) from California. Concolor* has ovoid bulbs, 

 composed of eight or ten fleshy-white constricted or fiddle-shaped 

 scales as shown in the sketch. Callosum has similar bulbs, but 

 inclined to be oblate in form that is, not so much pointed; and 

 there are in the bulbs of this plant more scales, these being con- 

 stricted, as in the last-named type. Tenuifolium has extremely 

 variable bulbs, some being ovoid, the size of a large Walnut, and 

 composed of eight or ten scales ; others being quite slender, formed 

 of two or three narrow elongated scales. A yellow variety of 

 Concolor (var. luteum) is figured at t. 885 of the ' ' Gartenflora " for 

 December, 1876, and may possibly be identical with the yellow 

 variety of Pulchellum, alluded to as being wild in Mongolia. 



L. Tenuifolium The bulbs of this plant are very strong and variable, 

 and when full-grown, perhaps more nearly resemble those of the 

 Indian Polyphyllum than any other species. They vary in shape 

 from being almost cylindrical and very narrow (scarcely thicker than 

 a pencil) to more swollen, fusiform bulbs, 1 inch in thickness, 

 and over 2 inches in length. The few wax}^-white scales are 

 not only imbricated closely, but firmly clasp each other, just like 

 the infolded central 

 leaves of the Ameri- 

 can Agaves. The fu- 

 siform bulbs of this 

 plant slide into the 

 ovoid form, as seen 

 in the bulbs of Con- 

 color and its varieties, 

 these being interme- 

 diate in shape between 

 the elongated bulbs 

 of Tenuifolium on the 

 one hand, and the 

 more globose-shaped 

 bulbs of Gattosum on 

 the other. 



* Pulchellum and Buscliianum are the same : Concolor differs in growth, and somewhat 

 in form of bulb, being smaller, and more compact, with scales closely imbricated, like 

 those of Tenuifolium ; the bulbs are rarely found single, but generally in clusters, and 

 exhibit a great tendency to break up and form a group. The figure (No. 3) ofLeichtlimi, 

 page 99, has more the shape of Concolor, but it should not show more than two scales, 

 overlapping one another, and the top should be more pointed. 



L. Callosum (Japan), from an imported bulb, two-thirds 

 natural size. 



