14 FLORA HISTORICA. 



MARTAGON, or TURKS-CAP LILY. 



Of this elegant kind of Lily we have now several 

 different species, and of each many varieties, all of 

 which are entitled to conspicuous situations in the 

 flower-garden, as well as to embellish the fore- 

 ground of ornamental shrubberies. This fine flower 

 was first obtained from the Turks under the Turk- 

 ish title of Zufiniare, and the Venetian name of 

 Marocali. Dioscorides mentions that these kinds 

 of Lihes grew wild near Laodicea, a city of Asia, 

 now called Ladik, and also near the celebrated city 

 of Antioch in Syria. 



Gerard, who wrote in 1596, says, " This plant 

 groweth in the fieldes and mountaines, many dales 

 iourneis beyonde Constantinopole, whither it is 

 brought by the poore pesants to be solde for the 

 decking vp of gardens. From thence it was sent 

 among many other bulbs of rare and daintie flowers, 

 by jNIaster Harbran, ambassador there, vnto my 

 honourable good lord and master, the Lord Trea- 

 surer of England, who bestowed them vpon me for 

 my garden." Gerard therefore calls them Liliiim 

 Bizanlinum^ '^ The Red Lillie of Constantinople." 



This excellent author tells us that he had two 

 other and smaller kinds of these Lilies growing in 



