OYPELLA 



THE BULB BOOK 



CYPELLA 



Beg. tt. 24, 49; Lodd. Bot. Gab. t. 

 992 ; Rev. Hort. 1855, t. 2.) 



0. psead-ibericum has obcordate 

 dark green leaves mottled with 

 silver above and deep violet beneath. 

 The flowers are violet-red above and 

 pure white with a blackish violet 

 blotch below. 



C. pseudo-graeoum. — This Cretan 

 species has been confused with C. 

 grcBcum, from which, however, it 

 differs in having longer stamen 

 filaments, and three-angled elongated 

 pointed anthers. The flowers are 

 pale rose, almost white. {Gartenfl. 

 1906,. 629.) 



C. punicum. — This comes near C. 

 latifolium, but the leaves have a more 

 open sinus. The sweet-scented flowers 

 are white or pale rose-red at the base, 

 the petals being narrow and acute, 

 {Rev. Hort. 1907, 328, f.) 



C. repandum (C halearicum ; C. 

 hedercefolimn ; C. immacvlatum ; C. 

 romanvm. ; etc.). — A native of S. 

 Europe, plentiful in Central Italy 

 and the Corsican mountains at eleva- 

 tions between 4000 to 6000 ft. Tuber 

 small, roundish at first, depressed 

 when old. Leaves ovate-deltoid, 

 heart-shaped at the base with an open 

 sinus, beautifully marbled with white 

 above, purple beneath. Flowers from 

 March to May, fragrant, rosy-white, 

 spotted with purple at the base. 



On good healthy tubers in rich soil 

 and ideal situations a large number 

 of flowers will be produced — two 

 hundred to three hundred has been 

 recorded. 



CYPELLA {kypellon, a goblet; in 

 allusion to the' form of the flowers). 

 Nat. Ord. Irideas. — ^A genus closely 

 related to Marica and Tigridia, con- 

 taining eight species of small but 

 pretty herbaceous plants, natives of 

 Tropical and subtropical S. America, 

 with tunicated bulbs and few linear, 



plaited leaves. The perianth consists 

 of six free segments, the three outer 

 ones obovate and spreading, the 

 three inner ones much narrower, 

 erect, and recurved at the apex. 

 The flowers in most cases are very 

 fleeting, lasting only a few hours. 



The Cypellas must be treated as 

 half-hardy plants even in the most 

 favoured parts of the Kingdom. If 

 grown in the open air, the bulbs 

 should be planted in warm, sunny, 

 and sheltered borders in a soU com- 

 posed of rich sandy loam and peat 

 A similar compost may be used when 

 the plants are grown in well-drained 

 pots in the greenhouse. During the 

 winter season the plants are at rest, 

 and require no water. The bulbs 

 must be protected in the open air 

 from frost by means of bracken, 

 litter, etc., but it is generally safer 

 to lift them and replant in spring. 

 Propagation is effected by means of 

 offsets. 



C. Herbert! {Tigridia Herierti). — 

 A native of Buenos Ayres, about a 

 foot high, with lance-shaped, tapering 

 leaves, and flowers varying from 

 light to deep chrome-yellow or 

 vermilion, in July and August {Bot. 

 Mag. t. 2599; Lodd. Bot. Cab. 

 t. 1810). 



C. peruviana. — This handsome 

 species comes from the Andes of 

 Peru, and has thin, papery, plaited 

 leaves, and bright yellow flowers 

 spotted with reddish-brown at the 

 base. The two-lobed stigma is bright 

 yellow, and petal-like in appearance. 

 {Bot. Mag. t. 6213.) 



0. plumbea {Phalocallis plumbea). — 

 A remarkable Mexican plant, 3 ft. 

 or more high, with sword-like, plaited 

 leaves, and dull blue flowers tinged 

 with yellow in the centre {Bot. Mag. 

 t. 3710 ; Fl. d. Serr. tt. 395, 1466). 



Other species are — O. gracilis, bright 

 yellow tinged lilac ; O. slgantea, blue 



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