SNAKE'S-HEAD FRITILLARY 



139 



The riovvcrs are solitary, and last five days, being erect in bud, then 

 drooping, egg-shaped, pyramidal, bell-shaped. The nectary with con- 

 cealed honey is a narrow green gland at the base of the petal, which 

 causes an external protuberance. The corolla is swollen below, and 

 bears the stamens at its base, with awl-like anther-stalks. They are 

 twice as long as the pistil, and bear oblong, yellow or greenish anthers, 

 which after they have opened are half as long, and then lie on a level 

 with the stigma. The 3 styles are furrowed and downy, thickened, 

 and spreading. The stigmas are softly hairy and simple. It is thus 

 adapted for insect \'isits, and in their absence to self-pollination. 

 The [)lant is protero- 

 gynous, the stigma 

 ripening first. 



The fruit, a cap- 

 sule, contains many 

 seeds, and splits open, 

 distributing them 



close to the parent 

 plant. 



The [)lant is a 

 sand plant, growing 

 in sand soil or sandy 

 loam, the allnxium ol 

 most valleys. 



Fi-itillaria, Loljel, 

 is from the Latin fri- 

 tillus, a dice-box, from 



the shape of the flowerhead. Mcleagris, Dodonaus, is Greek for 

 guinea-fowl, from the chequered pattern of the corolla. 



Names by which the Fritillary is known include Dead Man's 

 Bell, Chequered Daffodil, Chequered Lily or Tulip, Cowslip, Crow- 

 cup, Daffodil, Deith-bell, Drooping Tulip, Fritillary, F"rits, Froccup, 

 Guinea-hen Flower, Lazarus Bell, Leopard's Pheasant, Snake's- head 

 Lily, Snake F'lower, -Snowdrop, Toads-head, Weeping Willow, Widow 

 Wail. Lazarus I»ell was originally Lazar's Bell, and the flower was 

 so called from the small bell the lazar wore on his person. Leopard's 

 Lily is doubtless Leper's Lily, and both from the chequered appear- 

 ance also. It was called Death Bell from the dingy, sad colour of 

 the flowers. The name Drooping Tulip is from the hal)it it has of 

 drooping and its likeness to a tulip. I'Voccup is F"rog Cup from its 

 s[)ottc(l flowers, and Guinca-hc-n blower from the marking of the 



Pliot'-i. Dr. Souierville ILi-^tings 



Snake's-head Fritillary (Fn'tiUarin Alclcagris, L.) 



