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.
Rhodophiala advena (Ker-Gawl.) Traub
A bulbous perennial with linear leaves and umbels of 2-6 horizontal, open funnel-shaped, red, yellow or pink flowers in late summer. The variety pallidum is a pale yellow-flowered form. To 50cm. [RHSE, Hortus, Baker Am.].
Rigidella flammea Lindl.
Bulbous perennial with lance-shaped basal leaves, to 30cm long, and semi-pendant, iris-like scarlet flowers, to 10cm across, with purple markings at the base of the petals. The flowers are borne in succession before the leaves in spring or summer. To 1.5m. [RHSE, Hortus].
Rigidella immaculata Herb.
See Rigidella flammea Lindl. A very similar plant to Rigidella flammea, rather more slender and with smaller, unspotted flowers and narrower leaves. William Herbert summarised the key differences between R. flammea and R. immaculata in a note to The Gardeners’ Chronicle: ‘It is worth mentioning that while Rigidella flammea expands its flowers at three in the afternoon, the new scarlet one (R. immaculata) expands earlier and closes about three. They are both flowering in the open ground, having stood the winter, and as they grow near together this difference in the time of expansion is conspicuous.’ [GC p.494/1842, RHSD].
Romulea rosea (L.) Eck.
Cormous perennial with 3-6 narrow basal leaves, grooved and very tough, and pink or white flowers with a yellow throat. Leaves to 15cm, flowers much shorter. [Hortus].
Scadoxus multiflorus (Martyn) Raf.
Frost-tender bulbous perennial, with wavy-edged basal leaves and spherical heads of red flowers with conspicuous stamens, followed by orange berries, in summer. The leaves may be present or absent at flowering. To 60cm. Quite variable, with many geographical forms, many separately named in the early literature. [RHSE, Hortus, Baker Am.].
Scadoxus multiflorus (Martyn) Raf. subsp. multiflorus
Now recognised as a subspecies of Scadoxus multiflorus (Martyn) Raf. which see.
Haemanthus multiflorus is ‘very variable, but I cannot make out that more than a single species is covered by the above synonyms’ which include Haemanthus abyssinicus Herb. and H. tenuiflorus Herb. [Baker Am.]. The sub-species multiflorus has smaller, bright red flowers. [RHSD].
Scadoxus puniceus (L.) Friis & I.Nordal
A striking bulbous perennial with wavy-edged basal leaves and conical heads of up to 100 tiny yellowish-green to pink or scarlet flowers with prominent red bracts, followed by yellow berries, in spring and summer. The leaves may be present or absent at flowering but are invariably absent at Camden. To 50cm. It will grow well in the garden with minimal protection in many parts of Australia. [RHSE, Hortus, CECB].
Scilla amoena L.
Bulbous perennial with 4-5 flaccid leaves, to 20cm long and 3-6-flowered racemes of blue or whitish flowers on stems to 15cm. [RHSD, Hortus].
Scilla autumnalis L.
Bulbous perennial, the leaves narrow, grooved above, appearing after the flowers and persisting throughout winter, flowers nodding, reddish-purple, in autumn. To 15cm. [RHSD, Hortus].
Scilla peruviana L.
A bulbous perennial with a basal cluster of up to 15, semi-erect, lance-shaped leaves, to 60cm long, and tall, conical racemes of up to 100 star-shaped, reddish or purplish blue, sometimes white, flowers in summer. To 30cm. [RHSE, Hortus].
Scilla species pink
An unidentified species of Scilla or a related genus with pink flowers.
Scilla species white
An unidentified species of Scilla or a related genus with white flowers.
Sinningia bulbosa (Ker-Gawl.) Wiehler
Frost-tender, tuberous-rooted perennial with downy stems, leaves and flowers, opposite, heart-shaped, toothed leaves, and upright stems bearing terminal panicles of large, wide-mouthed, velvety scarlet flowers, with a white lower lip splotched with dark purple. [RHSD].
Sinningia hirsuta (Lindl.) Nichols
Frost-tender tuberous perennial with ovate, crinkled leaves, to 15cm long, covered with fine hairs, and trumpet-shaped flowers, mauve outside, darker inside, white striped and red spotted inside the tube. [RHSD, Don].
