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.
Oxalis tenuifolia Jacq.
A bulbous perennial with erect, slender stems with dense rosettes of leaves in the upper part, each leaf composed of 3 leaflets, somewhat folded and with a rolled edge, and solitary purple to white flowers, to 3cm across, with purple margins and yellow throats, in winter. [RHSD].
Oxalis tetraphylla Cav.
Frost-hardy clump-forming perennial with leaves consisting of 4 roughly inversely-triangular leaflets, usually purple at the base, and loose, umbel-like cymes of 4-12 funnel-shaped, reddish-purple flowers, with greenish yellow throats in spring and summer. [RHSE, Hortus]. Oxalis deppei and O. tetraphylla, generally regarded as synonymous are sometimes treated as separate, but very similar species from Mexico. For convenience they are treated separately here. See Oxalis deppei Schlecht. ex Hemsl. for more information.
Oxalis versicolor L.
Half-hardy clump-forming bulbous perennial with three narrow leaflets and a profusion of solitary, funnel-shaped white flowers, crimson-margined on the reverse and crimson-striped in the bud, from late summer to winter. To 8cm, spreading. [RHSE].
Pardanthopsis dichotoma (Pall.) Lenz
Fully-hardy, short-lived, rhizomatous, iris-like perennial with blue-green leaves with a distinct white edge in a fan-shaped cluster, and many-branched stems to 60cm, bearing a profusion of flowers, with white falls, spotted brown-purple, and grey-white standards, faintly striped with purple. Other colour forms are known. The plant often dies after flowering but seeds readily. [RHSD, Hortus, Dykes].
Phycella cyrtanthoides (Sims) Lindl.
Bulbous perennial with large bulbs, to 10cm across, usually producing about 4 leaves, to 60cm long, which appear with the flowers, and umbels of up to 9 narrowly-funnel-shaped bright red flowers, yellowish-green towards the base, in autumn. To 45cm. [RHSD, Baker Am.].
Phycella herbertianum Lindl.
Bulbous perennial with bright red flowers with a long tube and narrow segments, borne on 4-6 flowered umbels contemporary with the 3-4 narrow, strap-shaped leaves. [Baker Am.].
Polianthes geminiflora (Lex.) Rose
Frost-tender tuberous perennial with 5-6 narrow, semi-erect, linear, basal leaves, to 40cm long, and leafy stems bearing lax racemes of paired, pendant, tubular, bright orange-red flowers, to 2.5cm long, in summer. To 70cm. [RHSE, Hortus].
Polianthes tuberosa L.
Frost-tender tuberous perennial with a basal rosette of semi-erect, thin, lance-shaped leaves and spikes of tubular, intensely fragrant, waxy white flowers in summer. To 1.2m. [RHSE, Hortus].
Polianthes tuberosa L. var. flore pleno
For details see Polianthes tuberosa L. The double form has long been a popular plant and a dwarf, semi-double form, “The Pearl”, is the most commonly planted form today. [RHSE, Hortus].
Polygonatum multiflorum (L.) All.
Fully hardy rhizomatous perennial with arching stems bearing from each lower leaf axil up to 6 pendant, tubular green-tipped white flowers, to 1cm long. To 90cm. [RHSE, Hortus].
Proiphys amboinensis (L.) Herb.
Frost-tender bulbous perennial with elliptic basal leaves, to 35cm long, expanding after flowering, and stems, to 60cm long, bearing umbels of up to 30, funnel-shaped white flowers in spring. To 45cm. [RHSD, Baker Am., Blombery].
Proiphys cunninghamii (Aiton ex Lindl.) Mabb.
Frost-tender bulb with oval leaves to 25cm and 75cm flower stems bearing umbels of up to 15 white, funnel-shaped flowers in summer. To 30cm. [RHSD, Baker Am., Blombery].
Ranunculus asiaticus L.
Half-hardy, tuberous-rooted perennial buttercups with basal leaves and branching flower stems bearing 1-4 cup-shaped, red, pink, yellow or white flowers with purple-black centres in spring and summer. To 45cm. [RHSE, Hortus].
Rechsteineria rutila Kuntze
Tall, hairy gesneriad with crenate leaves and solitary scarlet, tubular flowers emerging from the leaf axial. To 1m. [RHSD].
