336 EARLY SPRING-FLOWERING SPECIES OF SCILLA. 
least, it is not possible always to discriminate them. Thirdly, the ex- 
tensive geographical range of the plant in a wild state (from Russia to 
Greece) would lead us to expect numerous variations. There are 
other reasons of a technical nature which would induce us to consider 
these as all forms of one variable species,—reasons which it is needless 
to enter into here, the more so as if any one incline to adopt the oppo- 
site opinion, there is nothing to prevent him from so doing. We take 
first that variety, the flowers of which expand the earliest, and to 
which, therefore, the name precoz is well applied. 
a. Scilla bifolia, var. precoz. — S. precox, Willd. ex Kunth, 
Enum. iv. p. 316; Sweet, Brit. Flower Garden, v. t. 141 (8) ; Schott, 
Bot. Zeit. 1851. S. bifolia major, Hort. Osborn. 
This differs from the type, as before stated, in its earlier expansion ; 
about London last spring it was in bloom a fortnight earlier than the 
true S. bifolia. Tt has larger flowers of a deeper blue colour than in 
the last-named, and the lower flower-stalks are after a time so much 
lengthened as to form a corymb. Too much stress must not, how- 
ever, be laid on this character, as all the varieties of S. bifolia more or 
less possess it. There are specimens in the Kew herbarium from 
Pallas, collected probably in the Caucasus. No name is attached to 
the specimen, but there is a memorandum in M. Planchon's hand- 
writing, ** Scillæ bifoliæ proxima." The plant is not very common in 
gardens. We have had it ourselves in cultivation for a few years, 
having received it under the name of S. bifolia.. There is a white- 
flowered form of this plant in some gardens. 
b. Scilla bifolia, var. carnea, Kunth, Enum. iv. 316; Bot. Mag. t. 
746 
This resembles the type in all respects, save that its flowers are of a 
pale flesh-coloured tint. It seems to be the Hyacinthus steliatus flore 
rubente of Parkinson, who thus speaks of it :—“ The difference in this 
from the former (S. bifolia) is onely in the flowers, which are of a faire 
blush colour, much more eminent then in the others, in all things else 
e. 
c. Scilla bifolia, var. rosea.—S. rosea, Lehmann, Index Sem. 1828 ; 
Linnea, v. 384; Kunth, Enum. iv. 311. S. bifolia, var. y. Taurica, 
Regel, Gartenflora, 1860, t. 307 (?). 
This differs from the preceding in the larger size of the flowers, and 
in the more globose form of the bulb. This last character, however, is 
