Tab. 5857. 

 BRODLEA coccinea. 



Scarlet-flowered Brodiaa. 



Nat. Ord. Liliace^;. — Hexandria Monogtnia. 



Gen. Char. — Peranthium corollinum, tubulosum v. campanulatum, angu- 

 lation, persistens, limbo 6-fido. Stamina 3, periantlrii fauce inserta, cum 

 squamis totidem liberis v. in coronam connatis alternantia, filamentis bre- 

 vissimisv. 0; antbera? lineari-oblongse, inclusje. Discus hypogynus, carnosus 

 v. obsoletus. Ovarium pedicellatum, 3-loculare, in stylum elongatum rectum 

 attenuatum, stigmate 8-lobo ; ovula numerosa. Capsula pedicellata, perian- 

 thio inclusa, 3-locidaris, 3-valvis, oligosperma. Semina compressa, testa 

 membranacea, atra. — Herba bulbo tunicato. Folia linearia. Scapus gra- 

 cilis, apice bracteatus. Flores itmbellati, pedicellati, cmrulei v. coccinei. 



Brodijea (§ Brevoortia) coccinea ; scapo elato, umbella 5-15-flora, peri- 

 antbio pedicello duplo longiore cylindraceo basi intruso 6-lobo supra 

 medium paulo inflato coccineo apici aureo, lobis parvis recurvis viri- 

 dibus, squamis in coronam erosam 6-lobam connatis. 



Brodi^a coccinea, A. Gray in Proc. Amer. Acad., vol. vii. p. 389. 



Brevoortia Ida-maia, A. Wood in Proc. Acad. Philad., June, 1867. 



Though differing from all of the four previously described 

 species of Broditea, in the length and cylindric form of the 

 perianth, and in the great size of the scales at its mouth, I 

 am disposed to think that Dr. Gray is right in referring it to 

 that genus, and abandoning the genus Brevoortia, which was 

 made by Professor Wood for this plant, and not without ap- 

 parent good cause, for in the form of its perianth and size of 

 the scales it differs widely from its congeners. It need hardly 

 be added that Dr. Gray is justified in discarding " the objec- 

 tionable double-headed specific name (Ida- Maia), given by 

 the stage driver, Mr. Burke, who showed the plant to Pro- 

 fessor Wood, in affection for his little daughter." 



SEPTEMBER 1ST, 1870. 



