ANTHOLYZA

(from anthos, a flower, and ly a, rage; in reference to the opening of the flowers, which resemble the mouth of an enraged animal). S YN. Pet a menes. Including An is an thus. O RD. Irideæ. A very pretty genus of bulbous plants from the Cape of Good Hope, having narrow, erect, Iris-like leaves, and flower-spikes that over-top the foliage, bearing numerous bright-coloured flowers. Perianth tubular, six-cleft, unequal, the upper segments longest; stamens three. The species may be grown in a greenhouse, or planted out in a frame. They also thrive excellently out of doors, and should be planted 8in. or 9in. deep for fear of frost, or have a winter protection of several inches of cocoa-nut fibre refuse or litter. The safer plan is to raise the roots, winter them in some dry part of the greenhouse; but, previous to storing, divide the clumps, clean them, and re-plant or pot in February, or early in March. A mixture of equal parts peat, sandy loam, and leaf soil is most suitable for their culture. Just previous to flowering, if in pots, frequent doses of weak manure water will be found beneficial. They may be propagated by offsets, which are produced in abundance, at almost any time. Seeds are sometimes procured, which should be sown so soon as ripe, in light soil, in a cool house, where they will germinate the following spring, and will be fit to plant out in the summer of the same year. With the exception of A. Cunonia, they all much resemble each other. Only four or five species of this genus are worth cultivating.