BLOOMERIA 



167 



equal parts, and placi-d 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 

 he 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. Beuckner. 

 ^ strongltf decurrent 



the one next below. 

 Brasili^nse, Desv. Gr 

 ing from n stout, slie-htly 

 boresoent trunk 1 ft. «r n 

 long : Ivs. ■_'-:; 11. I^iiu-, 1 

 ormore wid.'. « iili tiii- i.ii 



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. 



hyacintUna, 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 Cymbidinm hyacinthinum. 

 — Stands some frost. 



yereounda, R. Br. The first exotic Orchid introduced 

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

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



ShSpherdii, Hook. Very like the last, 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. 



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

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

 Cattleyas. 



campanuiata, La Llave & Lex. Pis. bell-like, purple, 

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



IS. aptifiUa, Nil 



N. L'.-i 



-S.Tan/cerinUew.R. 



the rachis, the lower much 

 shorter and more distant. 

 Braz. S. 2:4. 

 nitidum, Presl. Habit of 



lant 1-2 ft. high. 



Corcovadfense, R a d d i . 

 cut to the rachis, 

 much crowded and shorter 

 than the last; longest pinnae 

 less than 6 in. long, attenu- 

 ate at the tips; lvs. crimson 

 when young, and gradually 

 tiirniiii; to n metallic hue 



occidentale 



crlspun 

 may be commoner in cult, than the type. 

 AA. Plnnxe contracted at the base to th' 

 forming a very short stalk. 

 occidentile, Linn. Lvs. from an erect caudex, which 

 is covfri.-il with lirownish scales : lvs. 9-18 in. long, 4-6 in. 

 wide, with thi- pinnae truncate or even cordate at the 

 hasc and slif;htly falcate. Mex. and W. Ind. to Braz. 

 yee Fig. 240. 



serrulitum, Rich. Growing from an ascending nearly 

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

 numerous narrow pinnae, which are contracted at the 

 base and of nearly uniform width throuirhoiit : margins 

 finely serrulate; texture coriaceous, i i:, i.. |;i > . 



B. orientale, Linn., is a large East In ;: mi i . ~ian 



Fern, with lvs. of ten 3 ft. long ; wellw,.i;l : i i i; 



L. 

 BLEEDING HEAET. See Biceutra. 



BLfiPHAElS (Greek, eyelash; referring to fringed 

 bracts). Acanthitcea. An unimportant genus of dwarf, 

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

 similar culture. 



carduifdlia, T.Anders. {Acanthus carduifdlius, Linn. 

 Acanthddium cnrdiiifolins, Nees). Plant villous : lvs. 

 lanceolate, sinuate-dentate, spiny : spike terminal, 

 cylindrical : bracts roundish, palmately 5-spined at 

 the apex. 



BL£TIA (Louis Blet, Spanish botanist). Orchiddcea-, 

 tribe £Jpid^ndre(e . Terrestrial or epiphytal herbs, widely 

 distributed : lvs. plicate, membranaceous, sheathing the 

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



species growing as far N. as 

 Br., isaPhaius. 



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 Chenopodiiim. 



BLOODEOOT. See Saiiyuinaria. 



BLOOMfiEIA (named for Dr. H. G. Bloomer). LiU- 

 Aceif. A genus of two species, natives of southern 

 California. In every way they are closely allied to 

 Brodisea, but differ in having the perianth parted 

 nearly to the base. Bloomerias have a flatfish corm, 

 ike Crocus, covered with fiber, and not often pro- 

 offsets. The lvs. are 

 radical, slender, and grass- 

 like; scape slender but stiff, 

 6 to 18 in. high, naked, ex- 

 cept for short bracts be- 

 neath the many-rayed um- 

 bel ; pedicels slender, 

 jointed; fls. nearly rotate, 

 less than an inch across, 

 orange. Bloomerias prefer 

 a sandy, warm and well- 



, they are perfectly 

 hardy. In a colder climate, 

 a covering of straw or leaves 

 or a position 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 



241, Bloomeria aurea (> 



to 4 years. 

 Scape roughish, 6-18 in. : 

 lerous, bright orange, in a 



