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Hemerocallis (Old Greek name used)

(old Greek name used by Theophrastus, from hemero, a day, and kallos, beauty; in reference to its short-lived splendour). Day Lily. ORD. Liliaceae. Very ornamental hardy herbaceous perennials. Flowers corymbose; segments of the perianth united at the base into a narrow tube, inclosing the free ovary. Leaves long, narrow, radical. All the species are of easy culture in ordinary garden soil, and are admirably adapted for shrubberies, or for clumps. The flowers are somewhat ephemeral, but they are produced successively and in abundance. Increased by divisions.

H. alba (white). A synonym of Funkia subcordata.

H. caerulea (blue). A synonym of Funkia ovata.

H. cordata (heart-shaped). A synonym of Funkia subcordata. H. disticha (two-ranked). A synonym of H. fulva.

H. Dumortieri (Dumortier's).* fl. orange-yellow, tinged with brown on the outside, large, about 2in. long; scape erect, two to four-flowered. Summer. l. long, narrow, tapering, 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long. h. 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. Japan and Eastern Siberia. Very closely allied to H. minor. SYNS. H. rutilans and H. Sieboldii. (Ref. B. 213.) H. flava (yellow).* fl. orange-yellow, very fragrant, erect; perianth segments flat, veinless. Summer. l. numerous, narrow, 2ft. to 2 1/2ft. long, keeled. h. 2ft. to 3ft. South Europe to Western Siberia and Japan, 1596. (B. M. 19.) H. fulva (tawny).* fl. large, about 4in. wide, inodorous, few in a cluster; perianth segments venous and wavy. Summer. l. broad, long, keeled. h. 2ft. to 4ft. South Europe to Japan, 1596. SYN. H disticha. (B. M. 64.) H. Kwanso is a variety with large double bronzy orange-coloured flowers (R. G. 500); of this form, there is also a sub-variety, with handsome variegated foliage. H. graminea (grass-like). A synonym of H. minor.

H. japonica (Japanese). A synonym of Funkia subcordata. H. Middendorfii (Middendorf's).* fl. deep golden-yellow, three or four in a terminal head; perianth segments flat, with branched veins. Summer. l. long, rather broad. h. 2ft. to 3ft. Eastern Siberia to Japan. (R. G. 522.) H. minor (lesser).* fl. yellow, slightly tinged with green, rather small, and slightly fragrant; three inner perianth segments wavy. Summer. l. very narrow, keeled, pointed. h. 4in. to 8in. Siberia, Northern China, and Japan, 1759. SYN. H. graminca. (A. B. R. 244.) H. plantaginea (Plantain-like). A synonym of Funkia subcordata. H. rutilans (ruddy). A synonym of H. Dumortieri.

H. Sieboldii (Siebold's). A synonym of H. Dumortieri.