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Eucomis (From eukomes beautiful-haired)

(from eukomes, beautiful-haired; alluding to the tufted crown of the flower-spike). ORD. Liliaceae. A genus of about half-a-dozen species of strong half-hardy bulbs, natives of the Cape of Good Hope. They have broad root leaves and a simple raceme of rather large, usually greenish flowers, surmounted by a tuft of empty leaf-like bracts. Eucomis thrive in any rich soil, and are increased by offsets.

E. amaryllidifolia (Amaryllis-leaved). fl., raceme oblong, dense, 2in. to 3in. long; perianth green, segments oblong; scape cylindrical, terete, under 1ft. long. August. l. contemporary with the flowers, sub-erect, fleshy in texturelorate-ligulate, narrowed gradually to the base, obtuse, quite unspotted upon either back or face, channelled down the face in the lower half. Bulb ovoid. Cape Colony, 1878.

E. bicolor (two-coloured).* fl., raceme dense, oblong, 3in. to 4in. long; perianth segments pale green, with a sharp purple edge, oblong; scape terete, 1/2in. in diameter. August. l. sub-erect, oblong, unspotted, crisped towards the edge. Bulb globose, with copious fleshy root fibres. Natal, 1878. A handsome, robust-growing species.

E. bifolia (two-leaved). A synonym of Whiteheadia bifolia. E. nana (dwarf).* fl. brown; scape clavate. May. l. broad-lanceolate, acute. h. 9in. 1774. (B. M. 1495.) E. purpureocaulis (A. B. R. 369) is a form of this with a purple scape.

E. punctata (spotted).* fl. green, brown; scape cylindrical. July. l. oblong-lanceolate, channelled, spreading. h. 2ft. 1783. (B. M. 913) E. p. striata (streaked). fl. green; scape cylindrical. June to December. l. lanceolate, spreading, striped. h. 2ft. 1790. (B. M. 1539.) E. undulata (wavy). fl. green; scape cylindrical. March and April. l. ovate-oblong, wavy, spreading. h. 2ft. 1760. (B. M. 1083.)