from material supplied by Mr. G. H. Cave. It is also 
established in the Rock Garden at Kew, where the 
plant here figured was raised from seed received in 1917 
from the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta. At Kew it is 
quite hardy and ripens its seeds. Besides A. sikkimense, 
two other species of Allium with blue flowers have been 
in cultivation. One of these, A. kansuense, Regel (A. 
cyaneum, var. brachystemon, Regel) has been figured at 
plate 7,290 of this work and is a native of the Chinese 
province of Kansu, where it has been found during 
recent years at elevations of 9,000 to 10,000 feet by 
Mr. E. H. Wilson and Mr. R. Farrer; it has also been 
successiully grown by Mr. H. J. Elwes. It much 
resembles A. sikkimense, from which it differs in having 
all the filaments toothed at the base, a character which, 
although inconspicuous, may be of some significance in 
connection with pollination. The other species is A. 
cyaneum, Regel (Gartenflora, t. 1317, fig. 2), also from 
Kansu, which is readily distinguished by its filiform 
semiterete leaves and by its stamens being twice as long 
as the perianth and haying only their alternate filaments 
toothed at the base. 
Dxscriprion.—Herb, bulbs tufted, vertical, cylindric, sometimes as much as 
2 in. long, the outer sheaths with age fibrous. Leaves 2-3, superposed, 
linear concave, up to 9-10 in. long, + in. wide, glabrous except on the margin 
which is finely scabrid. Peduncle longer or barely as long as the leaves; 
spathe cymbiform, beaked, 2 in, long, over 1 in. wide when flattened out, 
membranous, glabrous ; umbel few-flowered to as much as 20-flowered; 
pedicels ,-1 in. long, the outer ones often nodding. Perianth ovoid- 
campanulate, blue-purple; segments ovate, slightly hooded, the outer ones | 
t in. long, the inner rather longer. Stamens rather shorter than the perianth- 
Segments ; outer filaments simple, subulate; inner quadrately expanded and 
toothed on both sides in the lower third. Ovary 38-lobed, with 8 basal 
foramina ; style subulate, as long as the ovar 
Taz. 8858.—Fig. 1, portion of a leaf; 2, a flower ; 3, half of the perianth, 
laid open, showing the staminal insertion ; 4 and 5, stamens; 6, pistil :—all 
enlarged. 
