WATSONIA 



FLAG OBDEB 



CROCOSMA 945 



WATSONIA (Bugle Lily). — A 

 genus of beautiful S. African plants with 

 fibrous-coated bulbs or oorms, and often 

 tall stems, with long stilfish ribbed sword- 

 like leaves, and long simple or slightly 

 branched spikes of flowers. Perianth tube 

 slender at the base, curved or recurved, 

 spreading above into nearly equal ovate 

 oblong or lance-shaped lobes. Filaments 

 free, rather long. 



Culture mid Propagation. — Prom the 

 Thames Valley southwards, and in mild 

 western districts, the Bugle Lilies may 

 be regarded as hardy out of doors. They 

 like a rich sandy loam with a little peat or 

 leaf mould, and require perfect drainage 

 and warm sunny positions with a more 

 or less southern aspect. They flower well 

 and look very handsome. Increase is 

 generally effected by separation of the 

 offsets from the corms, or by seeds sown 

 in cold frames in spring, and grown on 

 for a couple of years. The corms may be 

 lifted when the foliage has withered, or 

 they may be left in the soil for two or 

 three years without disturbance. When 

 at rest the soil should be kept dry and 

 protected from heavy rains in winter. 



W. Meriana (Anfholyza Meriana). 

 A beautiful species 1-2 ft. high with 

 thick lance - shaped sword - like much 

 striated leaves and spikes of somewhat 

 salver-shaped flowers, purple or scarlet in 

 colour, produced in May and June. There 

 are several fine forms, of this, including 

 coccimea, a splendid variety with scarlet 

 flowers ; irid/lfolia, white, on spikes about 

 3 ft. high ; and roseo-alba, pink and 

 white. 



Culture Sc. as above. 



W. rosea (Gladiolus pyramidatus). 

 This beautiful plant resembles a Gladiolus 

 in growth. In July and August it pro- 

 duces its crowded pyramidal spikes of 

 beautiful rosy somewhat bell-shaped 

 flowers each about 2 in. long, issuing from 

 purple spathes. 



The above are the best known species, 

 but others might be grown with them, 

 such as angusta and brevifoUa, both with 

 scarlet flowers ; densiflora, rosy-red ; and 

 humilis, soft rose. A few years ago a 

 charming and large-flowered white variety 

 of angusta appeared under the name of 

 Ardemei. It is a glorious plant with 

 masses of clear snowy-white flowers, but, 

 except in the mildest parts of the country 



perhaps, is too tender for outdoor cultiva- 

 tion. 



Culture Sc. as above. 



BABIANA (Baboon Boot).— A genus 

 of beautiful plants with fibrous-coated 

 bulbs or corms and stifi&sh plaited narrow 

 leaves. Flowers in dense spikes, having 

 a funnel-shaped perianth with a straight 

 long, or rarely short, tube and more or 

 less equal or unequal and spreading lobes. 

 PUaments free. 



Culture and Propagation. — Many 

 of the Babianas have fragrant blossoms 

 with rich and briUiant colours that make 

 them very desirable border plants. In 

 height and foUage they are all very 

 similar, and rarely exceed 1 ft. high. 

 They are very often grown in pots for 

 greenhouse decoration, but if treated as 

 recommended for Ixias at p. 944 they may 

 be successfully grown out of doors. As 

 may be seen from their proximity to Ixia 

 in this work, they are nearly related, not 

 only botanically, but also in their re- 

 'quirements. The best Babianas to grow 

 are disticha, with pale blue flowers 

 scented Uke Hyacinths ; pUcata, with 

 violet-blue flowers emitting a very fra- 

 grant Clove-Carnation-like perfume ; rin- 

 gens, a handsome form with irregular 

 gaping scarlet flowers; stricta, with 3 

 outer segments white, and 3 inner ones 

 lilac-blue with a dark blotch at the base ; 

 its variety angustifoUa has fragrant 

 bright blue flowers tinged with pink in 

 the tube ; the variety rubro-cyanea has 

 beautiful flowers 2 in. or more across, the 

 upper portion of the perianth being 

 brilliant blue, the lower portion deep 

 crimson forming a central zone ; the 

 variety sulphurea (also known as Gladi- 

 olus sulphureus and G. plicatus) has 

 creamy or pale yellow blossoms; while 

 villosa has brilliant crimson flowers with 

 violet-blue anthers to the stamens. 



All the Babianas bloom about May 

 and June. 



CROCOSMA. — This genus contains 

 only the following species : — 



C. aurea (Tritoniaaurea). — ^A charm- 

 ing S. African plant with fibrous-coated 

 slender corms or bulbs and narrow sword- 

 shaped leaves about 1 ft. long, sheathing 

 at the base of the slightly winged stems 

 about 2 ft. high. The brilliant orange- 

 red starry flowers appear during the sum- 

 mer and autumn months, the perianth 



8p 



