C 5i° ] 



CONVALLARIA BlFOLIA. LEAST SOLOMON'S 



Seal. 

 ###-£ sNhMhHN *"* 



Clafs and Order. 

 Hexandria Monogynia. 

 Generic Char abler. 

 Cor. fcxfida. Bacca maculofa 3-locularis. 



Specific Character and Synonyms. 

 CONVALLARIA bifolia foliis cordatis floribus tetrandris. 



Syji. Vegetab. 335. Ait. Kczv. p. 456. 

 LILIUM CONVALLIUM minus. Bauh.Pin.^o^ 

 UN I FOLIUM. Hall. Helv. n. 1240. 

 MONOPHYLLON. Ger. 330. /. 2. emac. 409. 



There are few genera in which the parts of fructification 

 vary fo much, both in form and number, as in Convallaria / 

 Linn ^. us makes three divifions of the fpecies, firft, fuch as 

 have bell-fhaped flowers, as Lily of the Valley ; fecond, fuch as 

 have funnel-ihaped, as common Solomon's Seal ; and third, 

 fuch as have wheel-fhaped, as the prefent plant ; the unripe 

 fpotted berry is faid to afford a mark of diftin&ion common 

 to the whole ; but how few are there who have an opportunity 

 of feeing this in all the different fpecies? 



Moft of thefe plants are ornamental, and many of them 

 have been long cultivated in our gardens for their fragrance, 

 and the beauty of their foliage or flowers; the prefent fmall 

 and delicate fpecies was cultivated and figured by Mr. Miller 

 in 1739. 



It feldom rifes above the height of four or five inches; 

 the flowering Rem is ufually furnifhed with two, fometimes 

 only one leaf, and is terminated by a loofe fpike of white 

 flowers, which appear in May, and with us are rarely fuc- 

 ceeded by fruit. 



" It is a native of the North of Europe, Holland, Germany, 

 " Switzerland, and Carniola. Mr. Miller gathered it near 

 " Haerlem and the Hague, where Mr. Ray had gathered it 

 •* before on the 28th of May in flower." Mart. Mill. Did. 



Is a hardy perennial, increafing greatly by its creeping roots, 

 on which and on other accounts, it is beft kept in pots with 

 the fmaller alpines; plants which are regarded by me as fo 

 many beautiful cabinet piftures, to others they will not appear 

 in the fame light. 



" Non omnes arbuftajuyant, hurailefquc myrica:,'* 



