8o BRODI^A GRANDIFLORA. CALIFORNIA HYACINTH. 



quently. In its native places of growth it is said to prefer drj', 

 open plains, and in favorable situations it is often found in such 

 abundance that it presents a beautiful sheet of blue in May, 

 which is its flowering time. It is found chiefly in Washington 

 Territory and Oregon, and occurs eastward to Utah in the 

 shape of a variety which connects it closely with an allied 

 species. 



We are at a loss to know what common name to bestow on 

 this flower. We have before stated that it is sometimes called 

 "California Hyacinth," in company with several other species of 

 the same genus, and we may add that one of these species is 

 known as "Satin Flower." It seems quite probable, however, 

 that the first of these names will finally j^revail, and we have 

 therefore called our species the "Large-Flowered California 

 Hyacinth," although with some reluctance, for we have shown 

 on a previous page that " Hyacinth " is hardly appropriate for 

 our flower, and a similar objection might be raised against the 

 specific name. At the time when our plant was named, the 

 epithet "large-flowered" might have done very well, but since 

 then other species of the same genus have been discovered, 

 which may well claim that they have as good a right to this 

 designation as the present species. 



Dr. Torrey and other botanists report that several varieties 

 of our flower are found in a wild state, and it is quite likely that 

 the Brodiaa grandijlora might rival the Hyacinth in this respect, 

 both in form and in color, if skilful cultivators should take it in 

 hand. 



Explanation of the Plate. — i. Complete plant, with root-leaves and flower. — 2. Ova- 

 rium. — 3. Cross-section of ovarium. — 4. Seed-ves.sel. — 5. Flower showing the three 

 petaloid stamens around the perfect ones. 



