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.
Caladium bicolor Vent.
Tender, tuberous-rooted perennial with slender stems bearing broadly lance-shaped, dark green leaves spotted and streaked with white, pink or red, and greenish white spathes in spring. To 30cm. [RHS, Hortus]. There are numerous garden varieties.
Calostemma purpureum R.Br.
Deciduous or evergreen bulbous plant, depending on growing conditions. The leaves may die back in summer, the umbels of 10-20 purple flowers appearing in summer or autumn, on a scape to 50cm long, followed by the leaves. [RHSD, FNSW].
Calostemma purpureum R.Br. var. bronze
For details of the species see Calostemma purpureum R.Br. No doubt a variety with bronze-hued flowers. Calostemma purpureum is highly variable in flower colour, varying from very pale blush, almost white, to deep reddish pink. Yellow forms also occur and these are also variable, verging on white in some plants. See Calostemma purpureum R.Br. var. luteum and Calostemma purpureum R.Br. var. cunninghamii.
Calostemma purpureum R.Br. var. carneum (Lindl.) Benth.
For a description of the species see Calostemma purpureum. R.Br. The variety carneum has rather larger flowers than the species, variously described as pink, flesh-coloured, pale purple or white. [Baker Am.].
Calostemma purpureum R.Br. var. cunninghamii
For details of the species see Calostemma purpureum R.Br. Cunninghamii is a form with rose-coloured flowers discovered at Moreton Bay. [PD]. Calostemma purpureum is highly variable in flower colour, varying from very pale blush, almost white, to deep reddish pink and including yellow forms. See also Calostemma purpureum R.Br. var. luteum and Calostemma purpureum R.Br. var. bronze.
Calostemma purpureum R.Br. var. luteum
For a description of the species see Calostemma purpureum R.Br. Very similar to Calostemma purpureum except that it has larger, yellow, or greenish-yellow flowers. [Baker Am.].
Camassia quamash (Pursh) Greene
Half-hardy, clump-forming bulbous perennial with linear leaves to 50cm, and racemes, to 30cm, of shallowly cup-shaped blue flowers. [RHSD, Hortus].
Canna glauca L.
Half-hardy, slender, rhizomatous perennial with narrow blue-green leaves and panicles of pale yellow to dark yellow flowers, sometimes spotted or tinged with red, in summer and autumn. To 2.2m. [RHSE, Hortus].
Canna indica L.
Half-hardy, rhizomatous perennial with usually lance-shaped green to bronze-tinted leaves and panicles of bright red or soft orange flowers in summer and autumn. To 2.2m. Paxton’s Dictionary lists the variety maculata, with red and yellow flowers. [RHSE, Hortus].
Canna indica L. var. coccinea (Mill.) Ait.
See Canna indica L. for a brief description of the species. I have no clear description at present but it appears to be a form of Canna indica with purple-pink flowers. Descriptions in modern literature are somewhat variable, some describing the plant as vigorous, growing to 2m, others as a small plant.
Canna indica L. var. patens Ait.
See Canna indica L. for a basic description. Johnson’s Dictionary describes Canna limbata and C. patens as separate species, the former with red flowers, bordered with yellow, the latter with reddish-yellow flowers.
Canna iridiflora Ruiz & Pav.
Half-hardy, upright, rhizomatous perennial with long, dark bluish-green leaves and pendant panicles of trumpet-shaped bright cerise-pink flowers with reflexed petals, in summer and autumn. To 3m. [RHSE, Hortus].
Cardiocrinum giganteum Makino
Fully hardy lily with basal rosette of large ovate leaves, to 45cm long, and smaller stem leaves, with stout stems bearing up to 20 large, nodding, trumpet-shaped, scented white flowers, striped maroon inside and purple in the throat, in summer. To 4m. [RHSE, Hortus].
Chasmanthe aethiopica (L.) N.E.Br.
A shade-loving, clump-forming cormous perennial with lance-shaped leaves and one-sided racemes of red or orange flowers with maroon throats and yellow-striped tubes from spring to early summer. To 70cm. [RHSE, Hortus, CECB].
Chlidanthus fragrans Herb.
Bulbous perennial with with large, ovoid bulbs and narrow, erect, grey-green, linear leaves. Umbels of 3-5 trumpet-shaped, fragrant, golden yellow flowers are borne in summer. To about 30cm. [RHSE, Hortus].
