CLASS VI. ORDER I.J CONVALLARIA. 471 



middle of the perianth. Capsule ohtusely three angled ; celU 



many seeded. — Named from the youth Hyacinthus^ the son of 



Arayclas, who was beloved by Apollo and Zephyrus at the same 



time; the latter is said to have killed him : and Apollo from his 



blood to have produced a plant, whose leaves bore in dark streaks 



the initials of his name. 



1. H. non-scrip'tus. Linn. (Fig. 535.) Harebell Wild Hyacinth. 



Leaves broadly linear ; flowers in a drooping raceme ; segments of 



the perianth recurved at the apex, bracteas in pairs, longer than the 



pedicles. 



Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 162. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 270. — 

 Scilla nutans. — English Botany, t. 377. — English Flora, vol. li. p. 

 147. — Endymion nutans^ Dumortier. flor. belgic. — Agraphis nutans. 

 Link. — Nat. Ord. Liliacece, De Cand. 



Bulb roundish, enveloped in pale loose coats, fleshy. Leaves nume- 

 rous, broadly linear, tapering at the base with an acute or tapering 

 point, somewhat channeled, and keeled at the back, striated, thin, 

 flaccid, erect below, drooping above, of a pale shining somewhat 

 glaucous green, from six to twelve inches long. Scape solitary, erect, 

 longer than the leaves, round, bearing a terminal drooping raceme, of 

 numerous cylindrical bell-shaped Jlowers, of a beautiful blue colour, 

 sometimes white, rarely rose coloured, each on a short slender ^ower- 

 stalk^ which is elongated after flowering, hractea of two unequal 

 coloured lanceolate tapering pieces, mucli longer than the partial foot- 

 stalks. Stamens inserted about the middle of the segments of the 

 perianth. Filaments thin, flat. Anthers yellow, two celled. Style 

 linear, about as long as the stamens. Stigma obtuse. Capsule ob- 

 tusely three angled, three celled^ each cell many seeded. 

 Habitat. — Wood, copses, hedges, and thickets ; frequent. 

 Perennial ; flowering in May. 



The specific name of non-scriptus was given lo this plant from its 

 leaves not being marked with any characters of the fabled Hyacinthus, 

 in commemoration of his change into a plant, as some of the other 

 species are said to be. 



GENUS IX. CONVALLA'RIA— Linn. Lily of the Valley, 



or Solomons Seal. 



Nat. Ord. Smila'ce^. R. Brown. 



Gen. Chab. Perianth campanulate or tubular, six-cleft or six-' 

 toothed. Fruit a round three celled berry, with one or two seeds 

 in each cell. — Name from convallis, a valley; from the species 

 delighting to grow in valleys and damp places. 



