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2. LEUCOJUM VERNUM. 



SPRING SNOW-FLAKE. 



This genus contains plants of the bulbous-rooted flowery peren- 

 nial kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Hexandria Monogynia, and 

 ranks in the natural order of Spathacea 



The characters are : that the calyx is an oblong, obtuse, com- 

 pressed spathe, gaping on the flat side, withering: the corolla is bell- 

 shapedrexpanded : petals six, ovate, flat, conjoined at the base, with 

 the tips thickish and stiffish: the stamina have six setaceous fila- 

 ments, very short: anthers oblong, obtuse, quadrangular, upright, 

 distant: the pistillum is a roundish inferior germ: style clavate, 

 obtuse: stigma setaceous, upright, sharp, longer than the slamens : 

 the pericarpium is a top-shaped capsule, three-celled, three valvod : 

 the seeds several, roundish. 



The species cultivated are: 1. L. vemitm, Great Spring Snow- 

 drop; 2. L. iFstivioii, Summer Snow-drop; 3. L. aiitummile. Autumnal 

 Snow-drop; 4. L. strumosum. Many-flowered Cape Leucojum- 



The first has an oblong bulb, shaped like that of the DaffiDdil, 

 but smaller: the leaves are flat, deep green, four or five in number, 

 broader and longer than those of the Common Snow-drop: the 

 scape angular, near a foot high, hollow and channelled: towards the 

 top comes out a whitish sheath, opening on the side, out of which 

 come out two or three flowers, hanging on slender peduncles: the 

 corolla is much larger than that of the Common Snow-drop; and the 

 ends ol' ihe petals are green. They appear in March, and have an 

 agreeable scent, not much unlike those of the Hawthorn. 



Tiie flowers, which at first sight resemble those of the Conniion 

 Snow-drop, are easily distinguished by the abi^cnce of the Three- 



