[DIERAMA] (Sparaxis) pulcherrima.—This is a charming South African plant with fibrous-coated corms, and long narrow sword-like leaves. It has beautiful funnel-shaped flowers, which droop from thread-like stalks about September and October, a period when they are sometimes injured by the bad weather. The blossoms, which are shown on [Plate 31], fig. 112, are usually crimson in colour, but there also exist white, pale-red, and prettily-striped forms, all borne on stalks 3 to 6 feet high, and beautiful for cutting purposes. D. pendula, with deeply veined lilac flowers, is another species not so well known.
The plants cannot be considered hardy, except in the milder parts of the kingdom. In less favoured spots they may be planted in spring in warm sunny spots sheltered from cold winds, and if left in the ground in winter should be protected from cold rains and frosts with litter, bracken, lights, &c. A light sandy loam, with a little leaf-soil, will suit the plants best, and they may be increased by offsets.
[ERYTHRONIUM] (Dog's Tooth Violet).—These pretty plants of the Lily order have more or less oblong or cylindrical bulbs, sometimes with creeping rhizomes, and leaves more or less marbled or blotched or sometimes green. The 6-petalled blossoms are, more or less, drooping, but are usually conspicuous above the foliage and render the plants very attractive either in the rock-garden, flower-border, or grass-land. The plants like a moist sandy loam and leaf-soil, which, however, must be well drained so that the bulbs may not decay with the winter rains. Offsets are the easiest means of increasing the stock, and are best taken off after the flowers are over and the leaves have withered, i.e., about midsummer.
CAMASSIA CUSICKI (70) LILIUM PYRENAICUM (71) ALLIUM ERDELII (72) IXIOLIRION PALLASI (73)
The Common Dog's Tooth Violet (E. Dens-Canis) is an old-world plant, and has been in cultivation many years. It has blue-green leaves, marbled with dull purple, and the flowers are of a soft rose or purple hue, although there are various shades (as shown on [Plate 13], fig. 54), including a white one. There are now many other species and varieties in cultivation—all natives of temperate North America, and well worthy of a place in the garden. They all blossom from March to May, and vary in height from 3 to 12 inches. The following are the best known at present:—Albidum, white, tinged yellow, or wholly yellow in the variety bracteatum; americanum, golden yellow, tinged purple; citrinum, lemon yellow; Dens-Canis (see [Plate 13], figs. 54 and 55); giganteum, white, suffused with orange or yellow; grandiflorum, yellow; Hartwegi, creamy-white and orange; Hendersoni, rose to purple with yellow centre; Howelli, yellow and orange; Johnstoni, rosy-pink (see [Plate 12], fig. 94); montanum, creamy-white; propullans, rose-purple; purpurascens, pale yellow tinged purple, or lilac in the variety grandiflorum; this species has sometimes about a dozen flowers on a scape; and revolutum, pink to rosy-purple, or white with a yellow centre in the variety Bolanderi or Smithi.
[EUCOMIS] punctata.—This bold-looking plant is probably the best and most ornamental member of the genus. It has very large bulbs and tufts of gracefully spreading and recurved wavy leaves, bright shining green above, and densely spotted with purple beneath. The creamy-white or yellowish starry blossoms, with a conspicuous violet ovary in the centre, appear from July to September, and are packed close together on a stout purple spotted scape 1-1/2 to 2 feet high. Other species are bicolor, with unspotted leaves and greenish-yellow flowers; nana, which grows only about 9 inches high, has brownish-green blossoms; undulata, greenish-yellow ones; regia, white; and pallidiflora, with leaves over 2 feet long, and 4 inches or more broad, has greenish-white flowers.
They are all natives of South Africa, and may be grown in warm sheltered spots in the milder parts of the country. They like a rich and well-drained sandy loam, and if left undisturbed for a few years, will probably require protection in bleak localities from winter rains and frost. They may be increased by offsets. It takes four or five years to secure flowering bulbs from seeds.
[FERRARIA] undulata.—A distinct looking Iridaceous plant with tunicated bulbs, sword-like wavy leaves, and peculiar dull-purple flowers, each with six wavy segments spotted with purple, and appearing in March and April. This plant flourishes in well-drained sandy loam and leaf-soil, and may be considered fairly hardy in the milder parts of the kingdom. Increased by offsets.