Bulbous and Tuberous Rooted Plants
A division of the Camden Park catalogues that is not clearly defined. Some of the more important families of the Hortus are included here, Amaryllidaceae, Iridaceae and Liliaceae. It also contains a wide assortment of other plants with a modified stem or root that acts as a storage organ. Such plants are usually deciduous and have a distinct dormancy period. Shrubs and trees are not included, but there is some overlap with herbaceous plants.
Gladiolus orientalis Hort.
I have been unable to identify this plant, the name suggesting an Asian species but the range of the genus only stretches to the Middle East. Ixia orientalis L.Bolus was not described until 1929. The only reference I have found to a plant of this name is a modern painting of a bright red gladiolus by Steven W. Dunn.
Gladiolus roseus x alatus
Probably Gladiolus caryophyllaceus var. roseus x Gladiolus alatus hybrid. A hybrid raised at Camden Park for which I have found no description.
Gladiolus roseus x blandus
Probably Gladiolus caryophyllaceus var. roseus x Gladiolus carneus hybrid. I have found no description.
Gladiolus segetalis Hort.
I have found no record of a plant with the name Gladiolus segetalis dated before 1880. This is possibly an error with Gladiolus segetum Ker-Gawl. intended, although the latter is also listed in the catalogues.
Gladiolus species unidentified blue
There are few truly blue-flowered gladioli, although a number have mauvish flowers. Gladiolus gracilis Jacq., which see, was certainly known and grown by Macarthur and others, such as Gladiolus caeruleus Goldblatt & J.C.Manning, have been more recently described.
Gladiolus species unidentified flesh-coloured
Probably a form of Gladiolus carneus Delaroche which see. G. carneus is a variable species and Macarthur referred to a cross between two strains as ‘late flesh-coloured’.
Gladiolus species unidentified late pink
Unidentified species or hybrid, no description other than that it is late flowering and has pink flowers.
Gladiolus species unidentified like hirsutus
Gladiolus hirsutus Jacq., which see, is a very variable species.
Gladiolus species unidentified white
Unidentified species or hybrid, no description other than that it has white flowers.
Gladiolus splendens (Sweet) Herb.
Cormous perennial with sword-shaped leaves and spikes of up to 14 bright red flowers, the lower tepals green. To 110cm. [CECB].
Gladiolus trichonemifolius Ker-Gawl.
A dwarf species with 3, narrowly linear leaves and a lax flower spike bearing up to 4, fairly large, funnel-shaped, white or dull to bright yellow blooms, often tinged with purple, mauve or red on the outside, and with purple or red lines on the lower lobes, in winter and spring. [RHSD, CECB].
Gladiolus tristis L.
Half-hardy cormous perennial with long, very narrow leaves, often twisted at the top, and spikes of up to 20 open funnel-shaped, strongly scented, pale yellow or creamy-white flowers, flushed or dotted mauve, red, brown or purple. Usually found in marshy sites and grows well at pond edges provided it can be kept dry when dormant. To 150cm. [RHSE, Hortus, CECB].
Gladiolus undulatus L.
See Gladiolus cuspidatus Jacq. Forms known to early botanists as Gladiolus undulatus were shorter-growing plants with pale yellow flowers with a broad red stripe through the centre of each petal, borne on a slender stem. [Allen]. The great variation between plants no doubt accounts for the retention of several names until at least this period. Gladiolus cuspidatus Jacq., which see, is now recognised as synonymous with Gladiolus undulatus L., the latter being the valid botanical name. They are recorded as separate species in Hortus Camdenensis to both differentiate the plants grown by Macarthur and to emphasise the difference between forms recorded by early botanists. The description given here is of plants that were specifically recorded as Gladiolus undulatus.
Gladiolus watsonia x alatus
Gladiolus watsonius x Gladiolus alatus hybrid. No description is extant.
Gladiolus watsonius Thunb.
Half-hardy cormous perennial from the Cape with basal leaves to 70cm, and spikes bearing up to 6 bright red or orange red flowers, to 7.5cm long, yellow in the throat, in summer. To 70cm. [CECB, RHSD, Hortus].
