BABIANA (from babianer, the Dutch for baboon; in reference to the bulbs being eaten by baboons). ORD. Iridaceæ. A genus of very ornamental bulbous plants confined to the Cape of Good Hope, with the exception of a single species, which is found in Socotra. Flowers occasionally fragrant, and generally characterised by their rich self-colours, or the striking contrast of very distinct hues in the same flower; perianth regular and symmetrical, with six ovate divisions (tube varying in length). Stems from 6in. to 9in. high, arising from a small bulb-like corm, and bearing tapering plaited leaves, which are usually more or less densely covered with long hairs; the scapes are racemose, each bearing about six or more simultaneously expanding flowers. They may be successfully grown in pots. By this plan there is, perhaps, less danger of loss, and their flowering season can be prolonged considerably. A light sandy compost, with a small proportion of well-decayed manure, is required, and thorough drainage is also most essential. Use 48 or 60-sized pots, placing four or five corms in the former, and two or three in the latter, and keep moderately dry until they commence to form roots. October is the best time to pot. As soon as the plants appear above ground, water may be carefully given, and the supply proportionately increased as the plants develop. Very weak liquid manure, applied twice a week, just as the spikes are pushing up, will be beneficial. When the flowers fade, and the stems show signs of decay, the supply of water must be gradually decreased, thus inducing the thorough maturation of the corms, upon which the next season's display depends. When quite down, store the pots in a dry place till the time for repotting arrives, when the corms should be carefully cleaned, and all offsets separated, the latter being potted up in the same way as the parent corms in order to produce flowering specimens; or they may be kept in a pot of sand and planted in a warm border outside in March. Outdoor culture: A sheltered, sunny, and well-drained situation is most essential to success. Although not absolutely necessary, it is preferable to replant every year in early spring, placing the bulbs about 5in. or 6in. deep, with a little sand sprinkled about them. Planting may, of course, be done in autumn, when it will be necessary to cover with cocoa nut fibre refuse to the depth of 5in. or 6in. In warm, sheltered situations, the corms may remain undisturbed; but, as a rule, it is desirable to remove them late in autumn, when the leaves are dead, and store them in dry sand through the winter in a cool, airy position, free of frost. Mixed Babianas may be purchased from dealers at a cheap rate, and, for general purposes, they are best to plant. Propagation may be effected by offsets and seeds. The former is the best and quickest method. The offsets should be grown in boxes or planted out in light rich soil until large enough for flowering. Seeds sown in pans, and placed in a gentle heat, will grow at almost any time; the young plants will require to be carefully transplanted each season until they develop into blooming corms.
FIG. 200. BABIANA STRICTA RUBRO-CYANEA.
B. cœrulescens (bluish). Synonymous with B. plicata.
B. disticha (two-ranked).* fl. with a Hyacinth-like fragrance; perianth pale blue; divisions narrow; margins undulated or crisped. June, July. l. lanceolate, acute. h. 6in. 1774. (B. M. 626.)
B. plicata (folded).* fl. with a very fragrant clove carnation-like perfume; perianth pale violet-blue; anthers blue, and stigmas yellow. May, June. l. lanceolate, distinctly plicate. h. 6in. 1774. SYNS. B. cœrulescens, B. reflexa. (B. M. 576.)
B. reflexa (reflexed). Synonymous with B. plicata.
B. ringens (gaping).* fl. scarlet, irregular in form, gaping, very handsome. May, June. l. narrow, acute, deep green. h. 6in. to 9in. 1752. (L. B. C. 1006.)
B. sambucina (Elder-scented). fl. bluish-purple, with an Elder-like fragrance; perianth divisions spreading. April, May. l. lanceolate, slightly plicate. h. 6in. to 9in. 1799. SYN. Gladiolus sambucinus. (B. M. 1019.)
B. stricta (strict).* fl., perianth segments narrow, acute, outer three white, inner three lilac-blue, with a dark blotch near the base of each. May. l. broadly lanceolate, obtuse, ciliated. h. 1ft. 1795. (B. M. 621.)
B. s. angustifolia (narrow-leaved). fl. fragrant; perianth bright blue, slightly pink in the tube. May and June. l. linear, acute, light green. h. 1ft. 1757. (B. M. 637.)
B. s. rubro-cyanea (red-and-blue).* fl. 2in. or more in diameter; upper half of the perianth very brilliant blue, and the lower part rich crimson, forming a central zone, in striking contrast to the blue portion. May, June. l. broad, acuminated, downy on the under surface. h. 6in. to 8in. 1796. See Fig. 200. (B. M. 410.)
B. a. sulphurea (sulphur-coloured).* fl. cream-coloured or pale yellow; anthers blue, and stigmas yellow; segments spreading. April, May. l. narrow-obtuse. h. 9in. 1795. SYNS. Gladiolus sulphureus, G. plicatus. (B. M. 1053.)
B. s. villosa (villous).* fl., perianth smaller than the last, with the narrower segments rather more widely spreading than in B. s. rubro-cyanea, brilliant crimson, with violet-blue anthers. August. h. 6in. 1778. (B. M. 583.)
BABINGTONIA (named after C. C. Babington, Professor of Botany at Cambridge, and a distinguished botanical author). ORD. Myrtaceæ. A very pretty greenhouse evergreen shrub, allied to Bæckea, from which it differs in having the stamens collected in groups opposite the sepals. Cuttings of the young unflowering shoots may be planted in sand under a bell glass, and kept in a moderate heat until rooted, when they should be placed singly in small pots, in a compost of equal parts loam and peat, with the addition of a little sand. As the small pots fill with roots, the plants should be removed into larger ones, and the compost have less sand in it; but this should not be done until the next February. The established plants must have a good shift about March or April, and should be kept in a light, airy greenhouse; the first shoots may be topped to moderate their vigour, and to produce a greater profusion of less luxuriant ones. In May, when most plants are removed from the greenhouse, these should be set to grow under a frame which, while shielding them from heavy rains, and supporting some slight shading in the hottest parts of the sunny days, will not prevent a free circulation of air. To this end, the frame should be elevated from the rests or supports at its corners; the lights should be left off at night in fine, mild weather, and on dull, cloudy days, being only replaced during heavy rains, and when shading is necessary. Towards autumn, the plants must be returned to the greenhouse.
B. Camphorasmæ (camphor-smelling).* fl. pinkish-white, in little cymes, disposed in long terminal racemes. Summer. l. linear, opposite, nerved. h. 7ft. Australia, 1841. (B. R. 28, 10.)
BACCATE. Berried, fleshy; having a pulpy texture.
BACCHARIS (from Bacchus, wine; referring to the spicy odour of the roots). Ploughman's Spikenard. ORD. Compositæ. A genus of hardy, stove, or greenhouse herbs, shrubs, or trees. Flower-heads many-flowered, diœcious, terminal. Involucre sub-hemispherical or oblong, in many series, imbricated. Leaves simple, alternate, exstipulate, deciduous, oblong-lanceolate, notched, serrated, or entire. Shrubs of short duration. These plants are neither beautiful nor ornamental, but are of easy cultivation in ordinary soil. Propagated by cuttings.
B. halimifolia (Halimus-leaved). Groundsel Tree. fl.-heads white. July. l. oblong-cuneate, obovate, coarsely toothed; branches angular. h. 6ft. to 12ft. Northern United States, 1683. Hardy.
BACHELORS' BUTTONS. The double-flowered forms of Ranunculus acris, Lychnis diurna, &c.