THE SNOWDROP. 123 



only of its upper margin ; the blade of the second leaf likewise 

 perishes, but its base remains, and forms the fleshy scale (c). 

 The corresponding parts of the former year's bulb are entirely 

 exhausted, and are reduced to dry skins. 



The composition of the Snowdrop bulb is so far quite simple, 

 that at the time of flowering only the basal parts of the last year's 

 growth are fresh, but those of the former year completely perished. 

 In this respect it is like the bulb of Ornithogalum umbellatum. 

 It however deviates remarkably from this and the other Liliacea? 

 and Iridete, which have been described in the position of the main 

 bud and other points. Sterile plants have also generally two 

 leaves, which are contained in a sheath. The second leaf has 

 also a closed sheath in which the young bud is inclosed, whose 

 first leaf alternates with the second leaf. 



The spathe, out of which the blossom bursts, is originally 

 formed of two leaves, which, however, at length become confluent. 



Galantius nivalis. 



Fig. 1. Bulb at the time of flowering. h. peduncle. 



a. outer coat of bulb. in. sheath of lateral bulb. 



b, c. first and second scale. n. leaf of ditto. 



e. long sheathing scale. Fig. 2. The same with the outer 



f, g. leaves. coat removed. 



Alstrcemeria Pelegrina, L. 



In contradistinction to all those Liliacese which have been sub- 

 mitted to examination, the Amaryllideae exhibit lateral peduncles 

 and terminal primary buds. It becomes then matter of interest 

 to examine such Amaryllideae as are not bulbiferous, and which 

 Endlicher calls Anomalas, to see whether they, like the true 

 Amaryllideae and Narcisseae, have lateral peduncles. For this 

 end I have studied Alstrcemeria Pelegrina, and have arrived at 

 the following result : — 



The horizontal axis from which the more or less tuberiform 

 incrassated roots spring forth, and which are branched at their tips, 

 is clothed with short broad scales or a rather white and thin sub- 

 stance. One of these scales (Fig. 1) incloses with its margins 

 the young peduncle (1 a), which it is well known is frequently 

 sterile, and in the axil formed by the scale with the peduncle 

 there is a bud. The outer leaf (2) of this is placed with its back 

 towards the peduncle, though l'ather obliquely, and incloses again 



