BRODIyEA COCCINEA. 

 SCARLET CALIFORNIA-HYACINTH.— Fire-cracker Flower. 



NATURAL ORDER, LILIACE^. 



Brodi^a COCCINEA, Gray. — Scape erect; perianth broadly tubular, six-saccate at the base, the 

 tube four times longer than the segments ; anthers not winged. Leaves two to three lines 

 broad, one foot long or more; scape two to three feet high; valves of the spathe four to 

 six, lanceolate or linear, deep-red, six to twelve lines long ; umbel four to twelve-flow- 

 ered, pedicels eight to twelve lines long; perianth twelve to sixteen lines long, the tube 

 deep scarlet, three to four lines broad, the lanceolate-oblong segments yellowish, two and 

 a half to three lines long, spreading; anthers linear, equalling the segments, emarginate at 

 the base ; staminodia yellowish, very broad, square, toothed, half shorter than the anthers ; 

 ovary oblong, stipitate, the cell four to six-ovuled ; style eight to nine lines long, filiform. 

 (Watson's Botany of Clarence King's Expedition.') 



HE first species of Brodicsa discovered, Brodicea grandi- 

 flora, had so much in its general aspect suggestive of 

 the famihar plant of our dwelling-rooms and green-houses, that 

 " California Hyacinth " seemed a not inappropriate common 

 name. Though not a true Hyacinth, it comes as near to this 

 famous flower of the poets as does perhaps any one of our wild 

 plants. Miss Louisa Twamley makes one of her characters 

 inquire why so much consideration should be given to these fforal 

 fables of the ancients. Emilia says : 



" Then, Leon, tell me why 

 These strange old heathen poets can so wm 

 Your admiration, since you know all false, 

 Wild, and irrational, which they have taught 

 About these innocent things ? " 



To which Leon makes answer : 



"All this I own. 

 And yet, ^Emilia, I have truth to urge ; 

 Even the fable linked with this sweet flower 



(37) 



