t 



CtAMTl. ORDiai.J CONVALLARIA. 471 



middle of the perianth. Capsule obtusely three angled ; cells 

 many seeded. Named from the youth Hyacinthus, the son of 

 Amyclas, who was beloved by Apollo and Zephyrus at the same 

 time; the latter is said to hare killed him : and Apollo from his 

 blood to have produced a plant, whose leaves bore in dark streaks 

 the initials of his name. 



1. H. non-scrip' tus. Linn. (Fig. 535.) Harebell Wild Hyacinth. 

 Leaves broadly linear ; flowers in a drooping raceme ; segments of 

 the perianth recurved at the apex, bracteas in pairs, longer than the 

 pedicles. 



Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 162. Lindley, Synopsis, p. 270. 

 Scilla nulans. English Botany, t. 377. English Flora, vol. ii. p. 

 147. Endymion nutans, Dumortier. flor. belgic. Agraphis nutans, 

 Link. Nat. Ord. Liliacece, De Cand. 



Bulb roundish, enveloped in pale loose coats, fleshy. Leaves nume- 

 rous, broadly linear, tapering at the base with an acute or tapering 

 point, somewhat channeled, and keeled at the back, striated, thin, 

 flaccid, erect below, drooping above, of a pale shining somewhat 

 glaucous green, from six to twelve inches long. Scape solitary, erect, 

 longer than the leaves, round, bearing a terminal drooping raceme, of 

 numerous cylindrical bell-shaped flower*, of a beautiful blue colour, 

 sometimes white, rarely rose coloured, each on a short slender floiver- 

 stalk, which is elongated after flowering, bractea of two unequal 

 coloured lanceolate tapering pieces, much longer than the partial foot- 

 stalks. Stamens inserted about the middle of the segments of the 

 perianth. Filaments thin, flat. Anthers yellow, two celled. Style 

 linear, about as long as the stamens. Stigma obtuse. Capsule ob- 

 tusely three angled, three celled, each cell many seeded. 

 Habitat. Wood, copses, hedges, and thickets; frequent. 

 Perennial ; flowering in May. 



The specific name of non-scriptus was given lo this plant from its 

 leaves not being marked with any characters of the fabled Hyacinthus, 

 in commemoration of his change into a plant, as some of the other 

 species are said to be. 



GENUS IX. CONTALLA'RIA. LINN, Lily of the Valley, 



or Solomon's Seal. 

 Nat. Ord. SMILA'CE*. R. BROWN. 



* 



GEN. CHAB. Perianth campanulate or tubular, six-cleft or six- 

 toothed. Fruit a round three celled berry, with one or two seeds 

 in each cell. Name from convallis, a valley; from the species 

 delighting to grow in valleys and damp places. 



