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Tigridia (From tigris a tiger and eidos)

(from tigris, a tiger, and eidos, like; in reference to the spotted flowers). Mexican Tiger Flower; Tiger Iris. SYNS. Beatonia, Hydrotoenia. ORD. Irideae. This genus includes about seven species of greenhouse or half-hardy, bulbous plants, from Mexico, Central America, Peru, and Chili. Flowers few in a spathe, in one species (T. pavonia) very large; perianth concave, with no tube; segments free, the outer ones very broad, unguiculate, the inner ones much smaller and erecto patent, often obtuse, more or less undulated; filaments connate in a cylindrical tube; spathe one, terminal, or two at the axils of the floral leaves, long and unequally pedunculate. Leaves at base of stem few, narrow, or broader and plicate-veined; cauline or floral ones often two or three, scattered. T. pavonia and its varieties are very handsome subjects when in flower. All the species thrive best in a light, sandy soil; if planted outside, a warm, sunny position, with south aspect, should be accorded them. The roots must be lifted in the autumn, when the leaves have died down, stored away in some place where frost cannot reach them, and replanted in the following April. Propagation may be effected either by seeds or by offsets.

T. atrata (dark). * fl., perianth dark purple; outer segments with pale green-spotted claws and a dark brown lamina; spathe two-valved, 2 1/2in. long. April. l. plicate, 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long. Stem 2ft. high. South Mexico, 1843. Greenhouse.

T. conchiflora (shell-flowered). A synonym of T. pavonia conchiflora. T. curvata (curved). fl., perianth yellowish, spotted with purple; peduncles curved; spathe one-valved. April. l. plicate, 8in. long. Stem slender, 1ft. high. Real Del Monte, 1843. Greenhouse.

T. lutea (yellow). fl. pedicellate, fragrant; perianth yellow, obscurely dotted, the outer segments obovate, 1in. long, obscurely crenate on the margins, the inner ones exappendiculate; spathe terminal, five or six-flowered, bivalve. June. l. ensiform, amplexicaul, very long-acuminate. Stem terete, glabrous, arching, 8in. to 10in. long. Peru, 1843. Half-hardy. (B. M. 6295.) T. Meleagris (Meleagris). * fl. in colour and form resembling Fritillaria pyrenaica, four or five in a leafy, convolute spathe 2 1/2in. long; segments marked with a few broken bands of crimson, slightly unguiculate. Spring l. solitary, straight-veined, plaited. Stem about 1 1/2ft high. Mexico. Greenhouse. See Fig. 35. SYM. Hydrotaenia Meleagris (B. R. xxviii. 39). T. pavonia (peacock-spotted). * Flower of Tigris; Peacock Tiger Flower. fl. on elongated pedicels; perianth golden-orange, the outer segments broadly ovate, 3in. long, mucronate at apex, the inner ones 1 1/2in. long, concave-channelled below the middle; spathe three-flowered, 4in. long. June. l. lanceolate-ensiform, plicate, acute; radical ones distichous, 10in. to 18in. long, sheathing at base. Stem cylindrical, dichotomous, leafy, 1ft. to 2ft. high. Mexico, 1796. Half-hardy. SYNS. Ferraria Pavonia (A. B. R. 178; L. B. C. 1424), F. Tigridia (B. M. 532).

T. p. albiflora (white-flowered). * In this variety, the ground colour of the perianth is a beautiful white.

T. p. conchiflora (shell-flowered). A rather dark yellow flowered form. SYN. T. conchiflora (F. d. S. 908, S. B. F. G. 128.) T. p. speciosa (showy). In this form, the ground-colour is deeper and brighter than in the type. (F. d. S. 908.) T. Van Houttei (Van Houtte's).* fl. issuing from spathes which terminate the branches of the stem; perianth about 1 1/2in. across, the outer and larger segments yellow, with a broad basal blotch and marginal veins of purple, the inner segments lilac, veined with purple. Spring. l. few, ensiform, plaited; upper ones shorter. h. about 1ft. South Mexico, 1875. Greenhouse. (F. d. S. 2174.) T. violacea (violet). fl., perianth violet, campanulate, nodding, the blade of outer segments rose-purple, the claw white, dotted with rose-purple, 3/4in. long; inner segments deflexed, white, dotted in the middle; spathe three or four-flowered, two-valved. May. l. ensiform, plicate-nerved; radical ones 8in. to 14in. long. Stem terete, erect, 7in. to 14in. high, dichotomous at apex South Mexico, 1838. Greenhouse. SYN. Beatonia purpurea.