106 DEVELOPMENT OF THE 



LlLIUAI MaRTAGON. 



Fig. 3. a. peduncle. e. base of first leaf of pe- 



c. principal bud. duncle. 



d. first traces of roots. f, f. scars or remains of old 



peduncles. 



LlLIUM BULB1FKUUM. 



Fig. 4. a. peduncle. d. roots on peduncle, 



b. uppermost scale, with bud j f. scar of old peduncle, 



in its axil. 



Colchicum autumnale, L. 



Our examination of this plant applies to its condition at the 

 time of flowering, which takes place from the middle of August to 

 October. 



The flowering plant is connected at its base by a small round 

 spot (Fig. 2, a) with the corm. The filiform simple and smooth 

 roots forming a close fascicle, and by no means disposed, as in 

 most bulbs, in the periphery of a circle while the area is free, 

 burst through a short thin fugacious membrane which surrounds 

 the base of the flowering plant. Scattered roots also arise exter- 

 nally from between the old dead organs. 



The foliaceous appendages are as follows : — 



1. A thin delicate, and consequently, fugacious sheath, scarce 

 half an inch long (h). This surrounds entirely the base 

 of the inner leaves. 



2 A second white sheath (i), often four or five inches long, 

 projects beyond this. Between its point of attachment 

 and that of the outer sheath, the axis is undeveloped. 

 It is turned with its back to the bulb, and presents a 

 proportionally narrow tube. The fissure in its upper 

 margin is not deep ; it is rather thick, and the cuticle 

 of its inner and upper surface easily peels off, so that 

 on a superficial examination it is easy to imagine that 

 there are two superincumbent membranes. From its 

 orifice the blossoms (q) protrude, sometimes singly, 

 sometimes two, three, or four. If this sheath be opened 

 we find that its lower portion incloses (3) the still un- 

 developed leaves. Between the second sheath and the 

 outermost or lowest leaf, the axis is undeveloped. The 

 leaf alternates with the above-mentioned sheath, and 

 has its back turned away from the bulb. It incloses 



