Tab. 5388. 

 ORNITHOGALUM capitatum. 



Capitate Ornithogalum. 



Nat. Ord. Asphodele.e. — Hexandria Monogynia. 



Gen. Char. Perigonium hexaphyllum, foliolis patentibus. Stamina 6, hypo- 

 gyna; filamenta subulata. Ovarium triloculare. Omla in loculis plurima bise- 

 riata, horizon talia, anatropa. Stylus triqueter, rectus. Stigma obtusum, trigo- 

 num. Capsula membranacea, obtuse trigona, trilocularis, apice loculicido-dehis- 

 cens. Semina in loculis pauca, subglobosa v. angulata, testa atra rugosa, hinc 

 rhaphe percussa. Embryo axilis, dimidii albuminis longitudine, extremitate 

 radiculari umbilicum attingente. — Herbse bidbosce, in Europa imprimis Mediter- 

 ranea et in Capite Bonce Spei indigence ; racemo corymboso, scapo terminante, pedi- 

 cellis bracteis membranaceis suffultis, floribus albis. Endl. 



Ornithogalum capitatum ; bulbo subgloboso, foliis lineari-loriformibus modice 

 acuminatis carinatis demum elongatis planiusculis, scapis subspithamseis, 

 corymbis multifloris umbellato-capitatis hemisphasricis, pedicellis brevibus, 

 bracteis ovatis subtus medio gibbosis valde concavis, floribus parvis albis 

 extus dorso purpureis, sepalis oblongis basi erectis demum patenti-reflexis, 

 filamentis lato-subulatis erectis. 



One of the many bulbous plants lately sent by Mr. Cooper 

 from the interior of the Cape Colony, and which have been 

 presented by W. Wilson Saunders, Esq., to the Royal Gardens 

 of Kew, where it produced its dense capitate corymb, or umbel 

 of small, but very pretty white and purple flowers, in a warm 

 greenhouse in February, 1863. We have in vain searched for 

 any described species corresponding with it. 



Descr. Bulb tunicated, globose, about an inch and three- 

 quarters in diameter. Leaves, at the time of the flowering of 

 the plant, five to six inches long, erecto-patent, linear-oblono-, 

 moderately acuminated, carinate, at length much elongated and 

 plane, a foot and more long, half an inch wide, linear-loriform. 

 Scape, one or two from the same bulb, six to eight inches long, 

 four lines wide, terete, green, narrower, and tinged with purple 

 upwards. Corymb an inch and a half or rather more broad, 

 convex, of numerous, small, subcapitate_/fo?06T6\ Pedicels short, 



july 1st, 1863. 



