272 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



THE GAGEAS OF SWITZERLAND. 

 By C. Parkinson, F.G.S., etc. 



IN our English flora we apparently have but one 

 species of Gagea — the G. lutea, which is not 

 very plentifully distributed through the country. In 

 Switzerland, however, several species occur, although 



Fig. 145. — Gagea lutea, two thirds natural si; c. 



I am not prepared to admit that all described have 

 sufficiently definite characters to rank as permanent 

 forms of the genus. Bentham remarks, the differences 

 in the Gageas of foreign botanists are chiefly in the 

 number and covering of the bulbs. This is undoubtedly 

 the case, but with reference to at least three species 

 in Switzerland there are other material differences ; 

 the rest are not so clearly marked from the typical 

 plant G. lutea. 



Within the last two years I have endeavoured to 

 collect a series of these plants from different Swiss 

 localities for comparison with each other, and also 

 with the English form sent to me by Mr. G. C. 

 Druce, F.L.S., from the neighbourhood of Northamp- 



ton. With one exception, all the species and varieties 

 of Gagea here described, find a habitat in moist 

 pastures at different elevations, ranging from 1200 feet 

 to 4000 feet above the sea-level ; the time of 

 flowering being in April and May. I should say 

 that the change in altitude is the most important 

 factor in the changing growth, the amount of 

 moisture derived from the soil also affecting the size 

 of the plants : the finest form flourishes at the highest 

 elevation, while the only dwarf Gagea is confined to 

 dry and rocky situations. 



It may be well first to notice the English and 

 Swiss G. lutea — one and the same plant, I think, 

 before distinguishing the other species. 



In the English plant the leaf is longer than the flower- 

 stem, somewhat broad and ribbon-like, ribbed and 

 glabrous, attenuated at either end ; the umbel of 3-5 

 flowers, is surrounded by an involucrum of three 

 unequal leaves,l two being linear and small, the 



Fig. 146.- Gagea arvensis, two-thirds natural size. 



third ovate-lanceolate, and several times larger. The 

 flowers have linear sepals, yellow inside, but strongly 

 tinged with green externally ; the bulb is single. 

 The Swiss G. lutea (Schultz) has an umbel of 7-9 

 flowers, with more obtuse sepals ; frequently the 

 umbel is divided in two parts, though on the same 

 stem. The involucrum is apt to vary. At an 

 elevation of 2500 feet, it is more strongly developed 

 in all its parts than the English form, but is Ihe same 

 in essential points. The figure here given is that of 

 the Swiss species, as the others come from the same 

 locality. 



The handsome Gagea is G. Liottardi (Schultz), 

 which I have found growing plentifully on the Col 



