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.
Babiana tubulosa (Burm.f.) Ker-Gawl.
Cormous perennial, the leaves linear to lance-shaped, hairy, flowers white to cream, often with red markings on the lower segments, tube to 8.5cm, cylindrical. [CECB, RHSD].
Babiana unidentified species, Crimson flower
A number of species of Babiana have bright red flowers, or occur naturally with red flowers. One such, Babiana ringens was listed in the catalogues from 1843. Of the Cape species, this being the most likely source, Babiana thunbergii Ker-Gawl., which see, and Babiana villosa (Ait.) Ker-Gawl. in its bright crimson form are perhaps the most likely possibilities, although the former is recorded at Camden. [CECB].
Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC.
Half-hardy, tuberous-rooted, clump-forming herbaceous perennial with sword-shaped basal and stem leaves, the loosely branched stems bearing a succession of up to 12, wide-opening, bright yellow to orange-red flowers with maroon spots, followed by black seeds, in summer. To 90cm or more. [RHSE, Hortus].
Blandfordia grandiflora R.Br.
Frost-tender rhizomatous perennial with linear leaves and loose racemes of red or red and yellow flowers in early summer. To 60cm. [RHSE, Hortus, FNSW].
Blandfordia nobilis Sm.
Frost-tender rhizomatous perennial with finely-toothed, linear leaves, to 80cm long, crowded at the base, and loose racemes of up to 15 copper red to orange flowers, stained yellow, sometimes entirely yellow, in early summer. To 60cm. [RHSD, Hortus].
Bomarea ovata (Cav.) Herb.
Frost-tender, tuberous-rooted, twining, climbing perennial with 1-4 flowers per stem, pink with green tips outside and copiously spotted with claret brown inside. It is a very variable plant, attested by the large number of synonyms, with descriptions in the literature varying accordingly. [RHSD, Baker Am.]. Baker describes Bomarea edulis var. ovata (Cav.) Mirb. as having broader leaves, more rounded at the base, and larger flowers than the species. [Baker Am.].
Bomarea salsilla (L.) Mirb.
Frost-tender, tuberous-rooted, twining, climbing perennial with 1-4 flowers per stem, pink with green tips outside and copiously spotted with claret brown inside. It seems to be a very variable plant with descriptions in the literature varying accordingly. [RHSD, Baker Am.].
Bomarea salsilla (L.) Mirb. var. oculata
Frost-tender, tuberous-rooted, twining, climbing perennial with 1-4 flowers per stem, pink with green tips outside and copiously spotted with claret brown inside. It seems to be a very variable plant with descriptions in the literature varying accordingly. [RHSD, Baker Am.]. See also Bomarea salsilla (L.) Mirb.
Boophone disticha (L.f.) Herb.
Large bulbs, to 18cm in diameter, the scape bearing 100 or more pink to purple-red, fragrant flowers in a dense umbel, to 30cm across, in summer to autumn, followed by a fan of erect leaves to 45cm long in 2 rows. To 50cm. [RHSD, CECB].
Boophone toxicaria Herb.
Boophone toxicaria is a synonym of Boophone disticha (L.f.) Herb. which see for description. It is included here for completeness as Macarthur appears to have considered it to be a separate species, at least for some years.
Brachystelma tuberosum R.Br.
Frost-tender, tuberous-rooted, succulent perennial with lance-shaped leaves, sparsely branched stems, to 10cm, bearing up to 4 star-shaped flowers, to 2cm across, the tubes green on the outside, spotted purple-brown and yellow inside, with purple-brown lines, with dark purple-brown lobes. [RHSD].
Brunsvigia josephinae (Delile) Ker-Gawl.
Bulbous perennial, leaves about 4-6, oblong, usually absent at flowering, suberect. In autumn scapes to 65cm high bear umbels of 30-40, characteristically boat-shaped, dark red flowers, to 8cm long, yellowish towards the base and with strongly reflexed segments, the leaves appearing after the flowers. To 65cm. [RHSE, Hortus, CECB].
Brunsvigia orientalis (L.) Ait. ex Eck.
The large underground bulb produces a sturdy scape with a large spherical umbel of 20-40 crimson flowers, similar to Brunsvigia josephinae but larger, opening successively in summer. The foliage is often flat on the ground and appears after the flowers. [RHSD, CECB].
Brunsvigia species unidentified
Unidentified Brunsvigia or related species. There are a number of possibilities but the date of 1857 suggests that it was a true Brunsvigia, probably introduced from the Cape in a larger consignment of bulbs. No other species are mentioned in Macarthur’s or Bidwill’s notes.
Brunsvigia striata (Jacq.) Ait.
Bulbous perennial with 4-6 elliptical leaves, pressed to the ground when mature, and a variable spathe to about 35cm, bearing up to 30, widely spreading deep pink to red flowers in an almost circular umbel, appearing before the leaves. [RHSD, CECB].
