DIPLADENIA 



THE BULB BOOK 



DISPOEUM 



has greenish-yellow flowers in Sep- 

 tember, on scapes 2 to 3 ft. high; 

 D. glaucum, from the Cape, has 

 greenish flowers on scapes 2 to 3 ft. 

 high {JBot. Beg. t. 156) ; D. longi- 

 folium, from Mozambique, has purple 

 and blue flowers in August, on scapes 

 about 2 ft. high {Bot. Beg. t. 974) ; 

 D. serotlnuia (formerly known as 

 SciLLA and Ueopetalon), from 

 Spain, has greenish-brown flowers in 

 July, on scapes 9 ins. high, and is one 

 of the hardiest species {Bot. Mag. t. 

 859) ; D. uinbonatum, from S. Africa, 

 has yellowish flowers {Bef. Bot. t. 

 17); D. Welwltschi, from Angola 

 {Bot. Beg. t. 16), and D. vlride, from 

 S. Africa, both have green flowers 

 {Bed. Lil. t. 203). 



DrPLADENiA {diploos, a double; 

 aden, a gland ; referring to the two 

 gland-Mke processes on the ovary). 

 Nat. Ord. Apocynacese. — This genus 

 contains several species of ornamental 

 stove climbing plants, those men- 

 tioned below being the only ones 

 with thickened roots. 



D. illustris. — A handsome Brazilian 

 plant, having woody root-stocks, 

 annual climbing stems, leathery, 

 ovate leaves, and large rosy-red 

 flowers. There is a variety called 

 glabra {Bot. Mag. t. 7156). 



D. nobilis {Echites rwbilis). — A 

 beautiful Brazilian climber, with 

 fleshy tuberous roots and small, oval, 

 opposite, leathery, deep green leaves. 

 The large tubular or bell-shaped 

 flowers, 2 to 3 ins. across, usually 

 appear from July to October, in 

 clusters at the ends of the young 

 shoots, and are of a beautiful rosy- 

 purple changing to orange -red. 

 {Paxt. Mag. xvi. p. 4.) 



These plants require hothouse 

 treatment. They like a compost of 

 turfy peat and fibrous loam with a 

 good sprinkling of silver sand, and 



may be grown in well-drained pots, 

 or planted in a border. Plenty of 

 water should be given during growth, 

 and the foliage should be kept clean 

 and fresh by syringing two or three 

 times a day. When the flowers are 

 over, the stems may be cut back, and 

 a lower temperature and less water 

 will then suit the plants better. 

 Indeed, very little water is required 

 in winter months when the tuberous 

 roots are at rest. In spring, about 

 March, the plants may be repotted. 

 If it is desired to increase the stock, 

 this is best done by taking cuttings 

 about 2 to 3 ins. long with a thin 

 piece of the tubers attached, and 

 inserting them in pots of sandy soil 

 in spring. 



DISPORUM {dis, double; 'poros, a 

 pore). Nat. Ord. Liliaceae. — A genus 

 containing about a dozen species of 

 hardy or half-hardy herbaceous plants 

 having creeping, spreading, or erect 

 stems from underground rhizomes. 

 Leaves alternate, ovate or lance- 

 shaped, sessile or shortly stalked. 

 Flowers narrowly bell-shaped, soli- 

 tary, or in clusters at the ends of the 

 shoots. 



These plants require a rich peaty 

 and well-drained soil with a little 

 loam, in warm, sheltered, and some- 

 what shaded positions. They may 

 be raised from seeds sown in spring 

 under glass, or by dividing the roots. 

 The plants are not very weU-known 

 outside botanical collections. 



The following may be noted : — 



D. Hookerl. — 1 to 2 ft. high, from 

 California, has greenish flowers about 

 ^ in. long, and ovate or deeply heart- 

 shaped leaves with roughish margins 

 and nerves. 



D. lanusinosum {Uvvlaria la/nugi- 

 nosa), from S. Carolina, grows about 

 1 ft. high ; has yellow-green flowers 

 in May and June, and ovate, lance- 



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