A M A 



A M A 



The characters sre : that the calyx is a spathe, 

 oblong, obtuse, compressed, emarginate, gaping 

 on the flat side, and withering: the corolla has 

 six petals, lanceolate : the nectary has six very 

 short scales, without the base of the filaments : 

 the stamina have six awl-sliaped filaments, with 

 oblong, incumbent, rising anthene : the pistil- 

 lum has a roundish, furrowed, inferior germ, the 

 style filiform, almost of the length and in the 

 situation of the stamina: the stigma tri fid and 

 •slender : the pericarpium is a siibovalc, three- 

 celled capsule, and the seeds are several. The 

 inflectionof the petals, stamina, and pistiliuni, is 

 very various in thediflcrent species of this genus; 

 and the -corolla in most of the species is rather 

 hexapetaloid than six-petalled. 



The species are very numerous, but those prin- 

 cipally cultivated are: 1. A. lutea. Yellow Ama- 

 ryllis, or Autumnal Narcissus ; 2. A. Alnmasco, 

 Atamasco Lilv ; 3 . A.forvwsUsima, Jacobn?a Lil)- ; 

 4. A.Reghice, Mexican Lily; 5, A. pinpvtca. 

 Purple-flowered Amaryllis; 6. A. Bc/UkIoidui, 

 Belladonna Lily; 7- A- vittafa. Superb or Rib- 

 band AmarylUs; 8. A. longijhlia-, Long-leaved 

 Amaryllis.; 9. ^. omw/f/Z/s-, Broad-leaved Airi- 

 can AmarvUis ; lO. A. Sf«-w/V««',9, Guernsey Lily; 

 1 1. y1. Ze'i/la/iica, Ceylon Lily; 12. A> Utii/blia, 

 Broad-leaved Amaryllis. 



In the first species, or Yellow Amarx'llis, the 

 flower-stems seldom rise above three or fourinchcs 

 in height ; the flowers arc shaped somewhat like 

 ihose of the Large Yellow Crocus, one coming 

 up from each sheath : the leaves are green, and 

 ■come up at the same time, like the SaflVon ; and 

 after the flowers are past, they increase all the 

 winter. The roots are shaped like those of the 

 Narcissus. It flowers in September, and is a naiive 

 of the South of France. 



The second species, or Atamasco Lily, has the 

 flowers at thmr first appearance of a fine carna- 

 tion colour on the outside, but ^\llich fade till 

 thcv are almost white. Tbey are nearly as large 

 as those of the Small Orange Lilv, but do not 

 grow above six or eight inches in height. They 

 appear about the end of May or beginning of 

 June, and sometimes in August. It is a native 

 of Virginia. 



In the third, or .Tacobaa Lily, the flower-stems 

 are produced from the sides of the bulbs, so that 

 after the tlower produced on one side is decayed, 

 another stalk arises from the other side of the 

 bulb ; but there is usually no more than one 

 flower produced on the saiire stalk. The flowers 

 are large, and of a very deep red : the under pe- 

 tals are very larsre, and the whole flow cr stands 

 nodding on one side of the stalk, making a most 

 beautiful appearance. It is a native of South 

 America, 



The fourth, or Mexican Lily, lias the bulb of a 

 green colour; the scape round, and sub-compressed. 

 The corolla scarlet, with a bottom of a whitish 

 green : the three outer petals reversed at the tip, the 

 three inner Iringed at the base, tiie style red. The 

 flower-stems seldom rise more than one foot in 

 lieight ; each stem sup])orts two, three, or four 

 flowers, rarely more ; tliey are larg<') and of a 

 bright copper-colour, inclining to red : tlie spathe, 

 v\ hich covers the buds before tbey open, divides 

 into two parts to the bottom, standing on each 

 side the umbel of flowers, joined to the ]iedun- 

 cles. It flowers constantly m the sjiring, when 

 it is placed in a very warm stove; and is in beauty 

 in February ; those which arc in a moderate tem- 

 perature of air, flowering in March or April. 



In the fifth the corolla is large, and of a blood- 

 red, or pm-ple-colour, and there are three or four 

 large bell-shaped, rather erect flow-ers coming 

 from each sheath. It is a native of the Cape of 

 Good Hope^ 



I'he sixth, or Belladonna Lily, differs from the 

 fourth species in having the edges of the petals 

 waved, and not reversed at the tip. The scape is 

 purple, sustaining from five to seven flowers, in 

 shape like the Common Red Lily, and nearly as 

 lariic, but of a soft pui]ile colour, inclining to 

 white on the inside tow aid the bottom, and having 

 an atjreeable scent. It usually flowers about this 

 end of September, or the beginning of October, 

 in this climate ; and if the roots are strong, the 

 stems will rise upwards of two feet high. If the 

 season is favourable, or the flowers be screened 

 from frosts, violent winds and heavy rains, they 

 CDiitinue in beauty a month or longer; and are 

 very ornamental plants at a season when there is 

 a great scarcity ot flowers. It is a native of the 

 West Indies. 



In the seventh, the petals uniting at bottom 

 form a flcshv tube, Init the edges of the outer 

 ones are free at the base. It has been, named 

 viitala, from it.-, ribband-like rppearance, being 

 striped with red on a white t^round. Tlie stem 

 rises to the height of three feet or more, and pro- 

 duces from two to fi\e beautiful flowers. It 

 usually blossoms in April or May, but may be 

 forwarded by artificial heat. 



In the eighth species, the flower-stem rarely rises 

 more than threeor four ir.'chcs in height, but sup- 

 ports a great number of flow ers, of a deep purple- 

 colour, appearing in December. The bulbs are 

 larire, and the leaves long and narrow. It flowers 

 here in July, and is a native of the Cape of 

 Good Hope. 



In the ninth, or Broad-leaved African Ama* 

 ryllis, the bulbs are large and almost round ; the 

 leaves long, broad, and rounded at thtir extremi- 

 tj|es, spreading two ways on the surface of the 



