represented accord : its leaves are bright green ; the flowers 

 deep purple; 5 of the segments have a direction upwards, 

 while the sixth is bent down ; the stamens are ascending, 

 and the style is declinate. No doubt, therefore, can exist, 

 not only of their specific, but even of their generic dif- 

 ference. 



In deciding to what genus to refer this plant, we have 



felt a difficulty that must h 



been 



perienced by all 



who have ever studied the group of Asphodeleae, to which 



it no doubt belon 

 thogal 



viz. that the genera Scilla, O 



Anthericum, and their allies, are characterised 

 so loosely that one can never tell their precise limits. 

 This arises from two circumstances ; the first of which is, 

 that the hybernaculum, which in these plant 



of primary importance, is not taken 



an essential cha 



gements 



of genera; and the second is, that too many a 

 are suffered to enter into the most recent arrai 

 of the species. In tribes of plants so simple in 

 and so very uniform as Asphodeleae, it is, as in Umbelliferae, 

 Cruciferae, and other Dicotyledonous Orders of a like nature, 

 indispensible that the genera should be confined within the 



most 



and it is far better that this should 

 effected by the creation of many new genera, than that 

 should not be done 



For this reason, we formerly 



parated Barnard 



from Scilla and Ornitho 



propose 



the genus Camassia, which 



and 



conceive to 



o 



be distinctly separated from Czackia and Anthericum (the 

 Phalangium of Jussieu) by its bulbs: and from Scilla. 



It is 

 referred to Anthericum 



Albuca, and the like, by the 5 ascending segments of 

 perianth ium, ascending stamens, and declinate style 

 probable that other species now 

 may also belong to this genus ; but upon that inquiry 01 

 leisure does not at present permit us to enter. 



Bulb ovate, tunicated. dark brown, about the size of 



hazel 

 green 



it. Leaves linear, acuminate, channelled, bright 

 shorter than the scape, curved, or as it were 



broken back in the middle in consequence of their weak 



ness. 



Scape 1 or 2 feet high, taper, gl 



purplish 



towards the extremity 



Bractecz somewhat 



with a long point, longer than the pedicels, the lowest often 



pty 



Pedicels filiform, half an inch long, ascending 





