FRITILLAEIA 



THE BULB BOOK 



FEITILLAEIA 



and beautifully chequered with light 

 or dark purple on a yellowish-white 

 ground. There are white, rosy, and 

 purplish forms, and also one with 

 double flowers. Nigra, major, pallida, 

 yiavida, are other names relating to 

 colour or size. 



'Fio. 152. — FritUlaria Meleagris alha. (J.) 



The Snake's Head Fritillary is 

 excellent for naturalising in grass — 

 its natural place. In the garden it 

 should be planted in places that do 

 not require moving untU the leaves 

 begin to fade. The plants may also 

 be grown in the rockery and flower- 

 border. In Christchurch meadows 

 at Oxford, which are often flooded 

 by the overflowing of the Cherwell, 

 some thousands of Snake's Head 

 Fritillaries appear year after year, 

 and have a wonderful effect when in 

 blossom. (Practical Guide to Garden 

 Plcmts.) 



P. meleagroides (F. minor). — From 

 the Altai Mountains, grows about 

 6 to 9 ins. high, and produces its 

 deep purple flowers in April (Bot. 

 Mag. t. 3280). 



P. nobllis {F. Kotschyana affinis). — 

 This pretty dwarf species from 

 America resembles aurea in size and 

 shape, but the flowers are dark 

 crimson outside, and lighter with 

 yellow markings inside {Bot. Mag. t. 

 7500). 



P. obliqua. — A little-known 

 Caucasian species about 1 ft. high, 

 with top-shaped flowers of a purple 

 and brownish tint {Bot. Mag. t. 857). 



P. oranensls {F. Mwnhyi). — A 

 distinct Algerian species, having 



Fig. 153. — FritUlaria oranensls. 



purple- 



broadly bell-shaped flowers, 



brown or yellowish-green, drooping 



in pairs, in March and April. 



p. palildiflora.— A beautiful and 

 distinct Siberian species about 9 ins. 

 high, having large blue - green 

 leaves and two to three yellow Tulip- 

 shaped flowers nodding from the 

 end of the stem, and beautifully 

 chequered with rose or purple within 

 {Gartenfl. t. 209). 



P. Perryi.— A pretty hybrid, 



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