437 



2. SCILLA CAMPANULATA. 



BELL-FLOWERED SQUILL. 



This genus contains plants of the hardy, bulbous-rooted, peren- 

 nial kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Hexandria Monogynia, and ranks 



in the natural order of Coronaria. 



The characters are : that there is no calyx: the corolla has six 

 ovate petals, spreading very much, deciduous: the stamina have six 

 awl-shaped fdaments, shorter by half than the corolla: anthers 

 oblong, incumbent: the pistilhim is a roundish germ: style simple, 

 length of the stamens, deciduous: stigma simple: the pericarpumi 

 is a subovatc capsule, smooth, three-grooved, three-celled, three- 

 valved: the seeds many, roundish. 



The species are: 1. S. maritima. Officinal Squill; 2. S. Lilio- 

 Uijadnthus, Lily-rooted S(iuill; 3. S. Italka, Italian S(iuill; 4. S. 

 Feniviana, Peruvian Stiuill; 5. S. amanu. Nodding Squill ; 6. S. cam- 

 pamdafa, Spanish Scpiill ; 7- S. autumnalis. Autumnal Squill. 



The lirst has a very large root, somewhat pear-shaped, composed 

 of many coats as in the Onion, and having several fd)res coming 

 out at the bottom, and striking deej) in the ground. From the 

 middle of the root arise several shining leaves, a foot long, and two 

 inches broad at their base, lessening all the way to the top, where 

 they end in jjoints; they continue green all the winter, and decay in 

 the spring: then the tlower-stalk comes out, rising two feet high, 

 naked about half way, and terminated by a pyramidal thyrse of 

 flowers, which are white. It is a native of Spain, Portugal, &c. 

 flowering here in April and May. 



There arc varieties with a red, and with a white root. 



The second species has a scaly root hke the Lily; it is oblong 



