120 DEVELOPMENT OF 



whose tirst iuternodes which produce sheaths are strongly de- 

 veloped. At the tip of these runners the ahove-mentioned organi- 

 sation is repeated with undeveloped iuternodes. 



The order of the parts in the basal axis agrees in essentials 

 with that in the Amaryllidese ; for there, as here, the peduncle is 

 lateral, while the primary bud is terminal. The disposition of the 

 leaves on the basal axis is, however, different, as for instance in 

 Amaryllis formosissima. In this only leaves occur, whereas in 

 Convallaria majalis a number of sheaths stand immediately below 

 the peduncle, and below and on the outside of these the two or 

 three leaves, which are developed a year before the evolution of 

 the peduncle which those sheaths surround, and which at the 

 time of flowering are dried up. The new leaves, which a short 

 time before the appearance of the flowers of Am. formosissima 

 come out near the peduncle, may be compared with the new 

 leaves of C. majalis, so far as they stand in either case on the 

 basal axis above the peduncle, and belong therefore properly to 

 the next peduncle. In the case in which a sheath appears first 

 above the peduncle in C. majalis this has the same position with 

 respect to the peduncle, which the long-sheathed leaf which 

 answers to it has in Am. formosissima. C. majalis agrees with 

 Leucojum in the circumstance that both sheaths and leaves 

 occur on the basal axis ; but they disagree in their mode of 

 arrangement. 



Galanthus nivalis, L. (Snowdrop.) 



The bulb at the time of flowering is constructed as follows : — 

 On the outside are found a few very thin and dry brown coats. 

 After these are removed, a white fresh sheathing scale appears, 

 with the margins united ; rather fleshy, but of a looser texture on 

 the inner side, about half an inch long (Fig. 1, a). The upper 

 margin is marked all round by a scar. The new roots form a 

 circle at the base. From the orifice of this fleshy coat projects a 

 long sheathing scale (e) which involves the peduncle (h) and two 

 leaves (f, g), and generally, but not always, a secoud shorter 

 scale (m) of a lateral bulb, from whose mouth projects the tip of 

 one or two leaves (n), but no flower-stem. The withered tips of 

 two scales (b, c) also peep forth from the same common orifice. 

 If the fleshy coat is now removed, besides the lateral bulb we 

 perceive two scales also closed in front (Fig. 2), but having 



