250 



FLORA AND SYLVA. 



G. virescens. — The most variable in size 

 and colour of flower. Segments curved back- 

 wards, stalked, yellow at the base, red on the 

 outer portion. Known also as G. simplex and 

 G. Plantii. 



G.grandijlora.— Flowers often wholly yel- 

 low but assuming a reddish hue when mature. 

 Segments more or less undulated. This species 

 seems to be quite ignored by botanists, and the 

 specimens with plain-edged flowered are gene- 

 rally found labelled G. virescens ^ and those with 

 undulate segments G. superba. It is probable 

 that a good number of the so-called G. superba 

 of the African type might better be referred to 

 G. grandijlora, syn. Methonica grandiflora, and 

 M. Leopoldi. 



G. Rothschi/diana. — The latest and most 

 beautiful of the genus. The type flowered with 

 the Hon. Walter Rothschild from tubers col- 

 lected by Major H. B. Rattray in Uganda. The 

 plant figured, which may be regarded as a va- 

 riety of this kind, was drawn in the gardens of 

 J. T. Bennett-Poe, Esq., of Holmewood, Ches- 

 hunt. It was received from Mombasa, and the 

 plant when flowering was not strong. The 

 plate represents the flower in its early stage, 

 when the segments are reflexed ; as they mature 

 they become broader and gradually assume the 

 horizontal or decurved position. The yellow 

 colouring seen on the bases of the segments in 

 the early stages ot the flower disappears, until 

 it is almost wholly of a bright ruby red. 



G. Carsoni. — A rather dwarf species from 

 LakeTanganyika,with showy heads of flowers, 

 which are yellow at the bases of the segments 

 and red outwards. 



G. abyssinica.—h. very showy dwarr spe- 

 cies from N.E. Africa, which appears never 

 to have been grown in England; the red and 

 yellow flowers are of large size. 



G. minor. — A singular little species, only 

 3 or 4 inches high in the herbarium speci- 

 mens, gathered near the Shebeli River, in 

 N.E. equatorial Africa. 



Though apart from the 

 Gloriosas there are two 

 or three other plants closely allied to 

 them and of the same culture, which 

 may well be mentioned in this connec- 

 tion. These are Littonia modes ta^ a pret- 



Allied Plants. 



ty African plant with smaller star-like 

 flowers of yellow colour, and Sander- 

 sonia aurantiaca, a yet smaller trailing 

 plant with numerous bright yellow,bell- 

 shaped flowers. Both require the same 

 treatment as the cooler-growing Glo- 

 riosas, and do very well as basket-plants 

 suspended from the greenhouse roof. 



J. O'BRIEN. 



Harrow-on-the-Hill. 



WESTERN ERYTHRONIUM. 



Until Dr. Sereno Watson published his 

 " Revision of the American Erythroni- 

 ums" in 1891 the various species were 

 much confused. The original types were 

 widely scattered, the descriptions only 

 to be found in many and often rare pub- 

 lications and faulty at that, having been 

 made from dried specimens of a plant 

 which is very difficult to preserve well. 

 Dr. Watson had access to much good 

 material and co-operated with many of 

 the field botanists of this coast, but did 

 not himself see the growing plants of the 

 Western species, so that naturally some 

 mistakes were made, and it is now my 

 aim to bring his work up to the know- 

 ledge since acquired. After the issue of 

 Watson's work I began to secure bulbs 

 of the Western species from as many lo- 

 calities as possible, to gather herbarium 

 material ,and to study the growing plants 

 in my own garden, while having fresh 

 flowers sent to me from many regions 

 for comparison. I have continued this 

 work since 1891 and have successfully 

 flowered all of the species except E. 

 montanum. 



In the Ery throniums the 



Root Formation. 111. 1 n-\i 1 11 



bulb is annual. Inebulb 

 produced last summer will this spring 



