MEEENDEEA 



LILY OBDEB 



CHAMiELIEIUM 877 



persicum, from Persia, with very large 

 rosy flowers. 



BULBOCODIUM.— This genus con- 

 sists of a solitary species resembling a 

 Crocus in habit and appearance, but differ- 

 ing in having a superior ovary and 6 

 stamens. 



B. vernum. — A pretty plant 4-6 in. 

 high, with a black corm, native of the 

 European Alps. The violet or rosy-pur- 

 ple funnel-shaped flowers with a long 

 tube are produced early in spring, often as 

 early as January in mild seasons, before 

 the broad strap-shaped channelled leaves. 



Culture and Propagation. — Owing to 

 its early-flowering character this species 

 is suitable for growing with Snowdrops, 

 Leucojums, Winter Aconites, and some 

 of the Colohicums &c. in the rockery 

 or warm parts of the flower border. 

 A light rich sandy loam suits it best, 

 and the bulbs are best left alone for 

 3 or 4 years after planting. When new 

 plants are required the bulbs may be 

 lifted from July to September, and the 

 ofisets detached and replanted at once 

 4-6 in. apart, and 3-4 in. deep. There is 

 a form with variegated leaves, and also 

 one from the Caucasus called versicolor. 



MERENDERA. — A small genus 

 closely related to Colchicum and Bulbo- 

 codium, having tunieated conns, linear 

 radical leaves, and 1-3 Colchicum-like 

 flowers on a scape. The funnel-shaped 

 perianth has 6 distinct segments, the 

 claws of which are united into a long 

 slender tube. Stamens 6. Ovary sessile. 

 Styles 3. Capsule 3- furrowed or lobed, 

 many-seeded. 



Culture and Propagation. — These 

 plants flourish under the same conditions 

 as the Colchicums, and may be increased 

 in the same way by offsets and seeds. 

 They like a light rich sandy soil in 

 rather damp situations, although when at 

 rest as little moisture as possible at the 

 root is advisable. 



M. Bulbocodium. — This pretty plant 

 from the Pyrenees bears a close resem- 

 blance to Bulbocodium vernum, but pro- 

 duces its rosy-lilac flowers in autumn 

 instead of spring, and for this reason has 

 been called Bulbocodium autumnale. 

 The plant is only 3-4 in. high, its linear 

 channelled and sickle - shaped leaves 

 appearing after the flowers, and remain- 

 ing fresh and green during the winter 



months. The variety bulbocodioides is 

 the same as the plant described at p. 876 

 under the name of Colchicum m,ontamum. 

 Other species are M. caucasica (also 

 known as Bulbocodium trigynu/ni). It is 

 a native of the Caucasus and produces its 

 delicate rosy flowers in April and May. 

 M. persica {M. Aitchisoni) from Persia 

 &c. has pale lilac sweet-scented flowers 

 keeled with pale red, during October and 

 November. 



Culture do. as above. 



NARTHECIUM (Bog Asphodel). 

 A small genus of rigid herbs with creep- 

 ing rootstocks and racemes of golden- 

 yellow rotate flowers, consisting of 6 dis- 

 tinct spreading segments. Stamens 6, 

 of which 3 are hypogynous and 3 on the 

 base of the segments, having hairy fila- 

 ments. Capsule 3-sided, narrow-pointed,, 

 many-seeded. 



N. ossifragum. — A British plant with 

 long slender wiry rootstocks and stiff 

 strongly ribbed, taper-pointed leaves 6-12 

 in. long, resembling an Iris. The golden- 

 yellow flowers about ^ in. across appear 

 in July and August, the linear oblong 

 segments being ribbed and green behind, 

 the hairy iilameuts being white with 

 orange-yellow anthers. 



Culture and Propagation. — This is 

 not a particularly handsome plant seen 

 in solitary specimens, but if planted in 

 masses in wet peaty or spongy soil near 

 the edges of ponds, lakes &c. it is more 

 attractive. This plant is widely distributed 

 throughout the N. temperate hemisphere, 

 and a smaller N. American form is some- 

 times met with. It may be increased by 

 division of the rootstocks. 



CHAMiELIRIUM.— A genus with 

 only one species here described : — 



C. carolinianum. — ^An attractive herba- 

 ceous perennial 9-12 in. high, native of 

 N. America. It has thiekish knotty 

 rhizomes and tufts of radical stalked 

 bright green leaves, oblong elliptic in 

 shape. The small pure white flowers are 

 borne in dense cylindrical racemes m 

 June, and with the advance of age the 

 main flower stem changes from green to 

 an ahnost ptire white colour. The flowers 

 are dioecious— that is, male and female 

 blossoms are borne on separate plants. 

 The perianth segments are linear and 

 distinct, and there are 6 stamens in the 

 male flowers, but only antherless stami- 



