346 The Snowdrop. 



It mav be said, however, that the leaves of G. plicatus are the 

 most distinct, because of the manner in which the margin is 

 folded back. I regret that I have no specimens far enough 

 advanced to show this as it ought to be done to give an idea of 

 the true character of the leaves of this Snowdrop. 



The scape, or flower stem, unlike that of the Narcissi, which 

 belong to the same natural order — the " Amaryllideae " — is solid 

 and not hollow. It is elliptical in section, and fluted, and that 

 of G. nivalis is only about half the thickness of the greater 

 number of the other species. 



At the top of this are the two spathe-valves, which serve the 

 important purpose of protecting the flower ere it emerges. They 

 are connected by a clear satin-like membrane, which in most 

 Snowdrops bursts open on one side only, but in a few forms the 

 membrane opens so as to show the twin-spathes separate. The 

 spathe-valves are generally green, but in the case of a few 

 varieties are yellow like the ovary, and other portions of the 

 flower which are green in the normal forms. An abnormally 

 formed Snowdrop has been found with two sets of spathe-valves, 

 the lower set being green and the upper white, like the sepals. 



The flower itself is composed, in addition to the ovary or 

 seed vessel, of three outer segments, called the sepals. These 

 are generally entirely white, but there are a few exceptions, 

 which will be mentioned later. The inner segments are the 

 petals, and these are more or less marked with green. Then 

 there is a cluster of 6 anthers, opening by slits or seams near the 

 apex, so as to allow the pollent to fall on the pin-like stigma in 

 the centre of the flower. 



Species and Varieties. 



Taking the various species and forms according to Mr Bur- 

 bidge's arrangement as a whole, although there is room for some 

 difference of opinion as to what are true species and what are 

 merelv varieties, we come first to Galanthus nivalis, our common 

 Snowdrop, a rather variable plant. There are two forms com- 

 monly met with. The small one we generally see in gardens, of 

 which I have here a small specimen, grown in poor soil, and the 

 southern form known as G. nivalis Imperati. I have here a 

 specimen of one of the finest forms of the latter, one called 

 Atkinsi, which, by the way, frequent!}- has an additional 



