ERYTHRONIUM dens canls. 

 Common Dogs-tooth Violet. 



Class and Or</er.— Hex an dri a Monogynia. 

 Syn. Erythronium dens canis. Curt. Bot. Mag., p. 5. 



Root bulbous, oblong— leaves radical, broad, lanceolate, somewhat undulate, 

 marked with brown— stem naked, erect— flowers solitary, drooping— 

 corolla campanulate, composed of six equal oval-shaped petals, of a 

 lilac hue, inclining to pink— stamens six, terminated by oblong purple 

 anthers — germen superior— style longer than the stamens— stigma 

 divided into three parts. When the flowers are fully expanded the 

 petals are reflexed. The white variety diff'ers only in the colour of 

 the flower. 



There are few plants more desii-able for a flower garden than the 

 Erythronium dens canis, and its white variety ; and none contribute 

 more to the beauty of our borders in the month of March, or beginning 

 of April. It is a native of Hungary, and some parts of Italy, and was 

 introduced into this country in the year 1596. These plants like a 

 light soil, mixed with bog, and are propagated by offsets, which may 

 be removed any time after the leaves decay; but the roots should 

 not be kept long out of the grovmd, as they are liable to shrink. 

 Miller mentions two species of the lilac Erythronium ; but his dis- 

 tinctions, founded only on the breadth of the leaves, and colour of 

 the flower, would not be sufficient to form a dift'erent species. It is, 

 however, worthy of remark, that the leaves of those bulbs which do 

 not bear flowers, are broader and rovmder than the others. There are 

 two other species, mentioned by Pursh, iu his " Flora of North Ame- 

 rica," vol. i. p. 230, both bearing yellow flowers, one of which is 

 occasionally seen in our gardens.— Erythronium Americanum. 

 PI. 5. 



