Watsonia
(named after W. Watson, 1715-1787, Professor of Botany at Chelsea). Bugle Lily. SYNS. Meriana, Neuberia. ORD. Irideae. A genus comprising according to Klatt twenty-five, according to Baker eleven, species of greenhouse, bulbous plants, confined to South Africa. Flowers one to a spathe, sessile; perianth tube curved or recurved, the lobes sub-equal, ovate, oblong, or lanceolate; stamens affixed within the throat; filaments free, filiform, rather long; spathes lanceolate, oblong, or narrow, often numerous, scattered or somewhat imbricated; spikes long, simple or slightly branched. Leaves long, ensiform, rather rigid, veined, the midrib usually prominent. Stem frequently tall. Watsonias are very pretty subjects when in flower. They require a mixture of very sandy loam and a little peat. If planted out in a pit or frame, where protection from frost can be ensured, they will flower much stronger than if kept in pots. Little or no water should be given during the resting season. Propagation may be effected by offsets, or by seeds. W. aletroides (Aletris-like). fl. seven to twelve crowded in a spike, drooping; perianth scarlet, the tube 1in. long, the segments acute, 1/4in. long; spathes ten lines long; scape terete, simple, leafy, 1ft. to 2ft. high. June. l. linear-ensiform, thick, acute, shorter than the scape, 1/4in. broad, margined and ribbed with yellow. 1774. (B. M. 533.) SYN. Antholyza Merianella (B. M. 441).
W. angusta (narrow). fl. eight to twenty-four, densely imbricatespicate, distichous; perianth brilliant scarlet, 2in. long, the segments oval-oblong, much spreading; spathes purple, scarious, seven lines long; scape simple or branched, erect, terete, spathiform-leafy. June. l. distichous, lanceolate-ensiform, acute, 1in. broad, much striated. 1825. SYNS. W. iridifolia fulgens (B. M. 600; F. d. S. 1077), Antholyza fulgens (A. B. R. 192).
W. brevifolia (short-leaved). fl. eight to fifteen, imbricatespicate, distichous or secund; perianth scarlet, 1in. long, the tube twisted, curved, the segments regularly spreading, mucronate; spathes unequal-valved, the inner valves bifid at apex; scape erect, simple, 9in. to 15in. high. May. l., cauline ones spathe-like; radical ones broadly or narrowly linear-ensiform, distichous, cuspidate, ribbed and margined, two to seven lines broad. 1794. (B. M. 601.) SYN. Antholyza spicata (A. B. R. 56).
W. densiflora (dense-flowered).* fl. in a dense, distichous spike; perianth rose-red, the tube 1 1/2in. long, the spreading, lanceolate, acute segments 1/2in. to 3/4in. long; scape as long as the leaves, covered with numerous reduced leaves. June. l. erect, linear, rigid, 1 1/2ft. to 2ft. long, 1/2in. broad, with several strong ribs, and a thickened, straw-coloured margin. 1879. A fine, well-marked species. (B. M. 6400.) W. humilis (dwarf). fl. five in a distichous spike; perianth rose-coloured, 2in. long, the segments regular, oblong-ovate, acute; spathes equal-valved, equalling the perianth tube; scape simple, terete-angled, 8in. to 12in. high. June. l. lanceolate-ensiform, straight, acute, ribbed and margined, distichous, shorter than the scape, one to two lines broad. 1754. (B. M. 631.) W. iridifolia fulgens (Iris-leaved, brilliant). A synonym of W. angusta. W. marginata (conspicuous-margined). fl. ten, slightly imbricated, distichous, nodding; perianth pink, 1 1/4in. long, the segments obovate-elliptic, mucronate; spathes nearly equal-valved, 3/4in. long; spikes several; scape terete, simple, nearly 2ft. high. July. l. lanceolate-ensiform, slightly coriaceous, thickly ribbed and margined, cuspidate, shorter than the scape, 1/4in. broad, glaucescent. (B. M. 608.) W. m. minor (lesser). fl. of a beautiful pink; spike solitary. l. rather dark green, lucid, obscurely cartilaginous on the margins. (B. M. 1530.) W. Meriana (Madam Merian's).* fl. three to nine, distichous; perianth purple or scarlet, somewhat salver-shaped, the throat cucullate-cylindrical, 1in. long, the segments obovate-oblong, acuminate, 1in. long; outer spathe valves purple, striated, 1 1/4in. long, the inner ones bifid, 1 1/2in. long; scape terete-angled, striated, simple or branched, 9in. to 2ft. high. May. l. lanceolate-ensiform, thick, much striated, margined, acute, two to six lines broad. 1750. SYN. Antholyza Meriana (B. M. 418).
W. M. coccinea (scarlet). fl. five to eight; perianth scarlet, 2 1/2in. long; scape 1ft. to 2ft. or more high. A splendid variety. (B. M. 1194.) W. M. iridifolia (Iris-leaved). fl., perianth white, funnel-shaped, eleven lines long; scape 3ft. high. l. broadly lanceolate-ensiform, acute, shorter than the scape, 1 1/4in. broad.
W. M. roseo-alba (pink and white). fl. twenty-four, densely imbricate-spicate; perianth pink and white, 2 1/4in. long; scape 2ft. to 3ft. high. l. broadly linear-ensiform, 1 3/4in. wide, shorter than the scape. (B. M. 537 and 1193, under names of W. roseo-alba and var.) W. punctata (dotted). fl., perianth scarlet or violet, funnel-shaped, 1 1/4in. long, the tube erect, filiform, the segments ovate-lanceolate, lined; outer spathe valves ferruginous, 1/3in. broad, the inner ones bifid, 1/4in. broad; scape terete, erect, 4in. to 15in. high. June. l. three, linear-compressed or terete, slightly furrowed, sheathing at base. 1800. SYN. Ixia punctata (A. B. R. 177).
W. rosea (rose-coloured).* fl. crowded in a paniculate, elongated-pyramidal spike; perianth rose-coloured, sub-campanulate, nearly 2in. long, the throat broadly turbinate, the segments mucronate; spathes purple, five lines long; scape terete, simple or branched, nearly 2ft. high. July. l. broadly lanceolate-ensiform, 1in. broad, cartilaginous-margined, striated, acute. 1803. (B. M. 1072.) SYN. Gladiolus pyramidatus (A. B. R. 335). W. strictiflora (straight-flowered). fl. scentless; perianth cherry-red, about 3in. long, the tube quite straight, the opening of the throat marked with a violet-purple star of six rays; scape taller than the leaves, simple. June. l. linear-ensiform, rather rigid, 4in. to 6in. long, about 1/2in. broad. Bulb the size of a large nutmeg. 1810. (B. M. 1406.)