3 $o The Flowering Plants of Western India. 



scarlet and bright yellow ; stamens very long, yellow, standing 

 out at right angles to the petals. Bachnag, kariandg, kalaldvi. 



Common in the Konkans and Ghauts; also in Guzerat. Through- 

 out tropical India (H.). This well-known plant is almost as remark- 

 able as beautiful. The flowers go on changing in colour for several 

 days before they finally die off. It is frequently seen in English 

 conservatories, but in nothing like perfection. I always thought 

 the name itself a work of genius ; it is due apparently to Linnaeus. 



This plant, though a climber, is more like the typical lilies than 

 any other of the order in W. India (but see Crinum ensifolium). The 

 lilies which are so celebrated in poetry are generally white, Lilium 

 candidum being the most typical. This, called in French fleur-de- 

 Marie, is dedicated to the Virgin, as being the emblem of purity, and 

 thus is constantly seen in religious pictures. 



" Now by my maiden honour, yet as pure 

 As the unsullied lily. " Love's Labour Lost. 



The lily of the valley, Convallaria, is similarly the emblem of 

 modesty. 



Travellers in Palestine are not agreed as to what flower our Lord 

 alluded to when he said, according to our translation, " Consider the 

 lilies of the field how they grow . . . even Solomon in all his glory 

 was not arrayed like one of these," as there are several bulbous plants 

 common there, which He might easily have pointed at. Sir E. Arnold 

 calls it " the scarlet martagon," i.e. L. Chalcedonicum. But no doubt 

 the translators, like many other unscientific writers, used the name 

 lily as including many flowers, which do not belong to the botanical 

 family. So Shakspeare : 



. . . " Lilies of all kinds, 

 The flower-de-luce being one." A Winter's Tale. 



Of cultivated plants of this order the commonest in India is pro- 

 bably Polyanthes tuberosa, gulchhari, gulshdbu. 



. . . " the sweet tuberose, 

 The sweetest flower for scent that blows." Shelley. 



Captain Cook, in describing the profusion of sweet-smelling flowers 

 in Batavia, says, " The Malay name of the tuberose is ' Intriguer of the 

 night,' and is not inelegantly conceived. The heat of this climate is 

 so great that few flowers exhale their sweets in the day ; and this 

 in particular, from its total want of scent at that time, and its 

 modesty of colour, seems negligent of attracting admirers ; but as 

 soon as night comes on it diffuses its fragrance, and at once compels 

 the attention and excites the complacency of all who approach it." 

 Voyages. But it is now recognized that the particular office of white 

 blossoms specially fragrant at night is to attract moths and other 

 nocturnal insects for purposes of fertilization. 



Yucca gloriosa, Adam's needle, is well known in gardens, with its 

 erect panicle of white bells. It is sometimes found out of doors in 



