We fufpeft our prefent variety to be of continental extrac- 

 tion, although the fpecies is a native of our ifland ; growing in 

 feveral of the weftern diftri&s, and has even been found in 

 the neighbourhood of London. The Bra8.es (which are ge- 

 nerally obfolete or fo inconfpicuous that they have been 

 overlooked and ftated not to exift by molt authors) were very 

 evident, though minute, in the prefent fpecimen, which 

 flowered in Mr. Hibbert's garden at Clapharn ; Guettard, 

 in his account of the plants growing about EJiampes > is the only 

 author we remember who mentions their prefence ; he terms 

 them tuber cult mamillares* Desfontaines found this fpecies. 

 on the coaft of Africa with blue flowers; as did Link and 

 Hoffmansegg in Portugal, where, as they ftate, its inflo- 

 refcence precedes foliation ; a circumftance alfo obferved by 

 Dr. Sims in this country, who fuppofes that when the leaves 

 accompany the flowers, it is the lefs natural mode, occafioned 

 by a particular wet feafon ; blooms from Auguft to September. 



The Portuguefe Profeffor of Botany, Brotero, obferves. 

 that the variety which he found in the province of Eftrema- 

 dura was twice the fize of that which grew in the province of 

 Beira ; he does not notice the peculiarity in the flowering 

 mentioned by Link and his fellow traveller. 



The leaves grow on through the winter, dying away in 

 the fpring, after the manner of thofe of Ornithogali ■ ■•: 

 S.quMrti G. 



