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.
Nerine curvifolia (Jacq.) Herb.
Nerine curvifolia is now considered synonymous with Nerine sarniensis Herb., although it was considered a distinct species through most of the 19th century. A separate entry is given here for completeness. Like Nerine sarniensis, Nerine curvifolia was listed in all the published catalogues suggesting that Macarthur considered them to be sufficiently distinct.
Bulbous perennial, the stems to 60cm, bear umbels of up to 15 scarlet flowers with strongly recurved, somewhat spiralling petals in autumn, the up to 8, strap-like leaves usually appearing after the flowers. [RHSD, Hortus, Baker Am.].
Nerine flexuosa Herb.
Nerine flexuosa is now conidered to be synonymous with Nerine undulata (L.) Herb. It is retained as a separate entry here to assist differentiation. Macarthur included flexuosa in all editions of his catalogues but undulata only in the 1857 edition. That he regarded them as separate species at this time suggests at least some minor differences between the plants.
Bulbous perennial, the 4-6 arching, narrow, strap-like leaves produced with the flower scapes which bear compact umbels of 10-20 dark-veined, pink flowers in autumn, the petals having crisped edges. To 45cm. [RHSE, Hortus, Baker Am.].
Nerine humilis (Jacq.) Herb.
Bulbous perennial with four to six spreading or prostrate, strap-sheped leaves and a loose umbel of 1-8 pale to deep pink flowers with undulating margins. To 40cm. [RHSD, CECB].
Nerine laticoma (Ker Gawl.) T.Durand & Schinz
Bulbous perennial with 4-6, linear, spreading, flaccid leaves produced with the flowers scapes which bear umbels of 20-40 pale to bright red flowers. [Baker Am.].
Nerine sarniensis Herb.
Bulbous perennial with up to 6, erect, strap-like leaves, produced after the flowers, which are compact umbels of 10-20 crimson to orange-red flowers in autumn. To 45cm. There are a number of varieties. [RHSE, Hortus, CECB, Baker Am.]. See also Nerine curvifolia (Jacq.) M.Herb.
Nerine undulata Herb.
Bulbous perennial, the 4-6 strap-like leaves and umbels of 8-12 slender, mid-pink flowers usually appearing together in autumn. To 45cm. [RHSE, Baker Am.]. Almost evergreen in the Camden Park gardens. See also Nerine flexuosa (Jacq.) Herb.
Niphaea oblonga Lindl.
Frost-tender perennial with few, ovate leaves, to 7cm, and slender axillary stems, to 15cm, bearing two to several white flowers in winter. [RHSD].
Nivenia corymbosa Bak.
Fibrous root stock, linear leaves on long, branched stems and sweetly-scented blue and yellow flowers on a much-branched, many-flowered inflorescence. [RHSD, Grey].
Notholirion thomsonianum (Royle) Stapf
A bulbous perennial with stems bearing up to 30 scented, horizontal or ascending, funnel-shaped, rose coloured flowers in spring and summer. It comes into growth again in the autumn and by late autumn its spreading basal leaves may be up to 45cm long and continue to grow throughout winter, withering when the flower stems appear. To 90cm. Cultivated for many years, this is the best known of the species of Notholirion cultivated. [RHSD, Hortus, Grey].
Ornithogalum biflorum (Ruiz & Pav.) Don
Bulbous perennial with narrow leaves and greenish-white flowers in loose 6-20-flowered racemes. To 30cm. [RHSD].
Ornithogalum conicum Jacq.
Robust, half-hardy bulbous perennial with semi-erect, lance-shaped basal leaves which wither in spring and are followed by dense racemes of many cup-shaped white flowers, tinted cream or green at the base. To 1m. [RHSD, Hortus, CECB]. Ornithogalum conicum is very similar to the true ‘Chincherinchee’, Ornithogalum thyrsoides Jacq., but with smooth- not hairy-margined leaves and usually longer flower stems. [RHSD].
Ornithogalum dubium Houtt.
Half-hardy bulbous perennial with up to 8 narrow leaves, to 10cm long, with flowering stems to 30cm bearing racemes of 20 or more orange, red, yellow or, rarely white flowers, often tinged green or brown at the base within, opening in succession for a considerable time in the winter and spring. [RHSD, Hortus, CECB].
Ornithogalum species white
An unidentified species of Ornithogalum or a related genus. Most species of Ornithogalum have white flowers.
Orthrosanthus multiflorus Sweet
Iris-like plant with narrow leaves and spikes of sky blue flowers opening in the early morning. [Wrigley].
Oxalis bifurca Lodd.
Half-hardy bulbous perennial with leaves composed of 3 linear leaflets, bilobed, deeply incised to about half their length, to about 8mm long and .5mm wide, smooth above, sparsely hairy beneath. Erect or procumbent branched stems, to 30cm, bear solitary, purple-red flowers, to 1.2cm across, with yellow-green throats, on stalks to 8cm long. Late summer to autumn flowering in Australia. [RHSD, Beadle, FNSW].
