510 LUZULA. [CLASS VI. ORDER I. 



fibrous, apparently annual, quite smooth, simple, neither bulbous nor 

 creeping, fibres smooth. Stems one or more from the crown of each 

 root, from one and half to four inches high, simple, straight, upright, 

 smooth, angular, striated, leafy at the very bottom only, and bearing at 

 the top a terminal head of flowers, sometimes accompanied by another 

 near an inch below it. In one very luxuriant specimen only we have 

 seen the stem divided at the lower head, and bearing two others above 

 it. Leaves several radical, sheathing, erect, one-third the height of the 

 stem, very slender, acute, convex beneath, channeled above, and when 

 dry involute, quite smooth, sheathing at the base, with membranous 

 edges. Bracteas one or two under each head, like the leaves, but much 

 shorter, dilated and convex at the base. Interior bracteas from three 

 to five under each head, spreading, lanceolate, acute, membranous, 

 keeled, shorter than the perianth. Flowers from two to five, sometimes 

 ten, or more in each head, crowded, spreading every way. Calyx 

 leaves (perianth) ovate-lanceolate, concave, strongly keeled, membranous, 

 light brown, without ribs, the keel green, firm, ending in a long acute 

 bristly point, three inner ones smallest, and most delicate. Filaments 

 three only, very short, opposite to the outer leaves of the perianth. 

 Anthers oblong, erect, spiral after flowering. Stigmas three. Capsules 

 about the length of the stamens, not half as long as the calyx, roundish, 

 triangular, membranous, obtuse. Seeds numerous, oblong, striated, 

 very minute. 



Habitat. " Found by Mr. Hudson below the village of Bovet, 

 between Fort George and Fernain Bay, in the Isle of Jersey." 



Annual ; flowering in May. 



The synonyms of this plant are very much confused ; we ba.ve, 

 therefore, for the present omitted the reference to any. The plant 

 is an extremely rare one, and perhaps is now extinct as a native. We 

 have not seen any native specimens, nor does it appear to have been 

 found since Hudson's time. The description we have given is from 

 Smith's English Flora, and our drawing is from specimens collected 

 in Italy, which are not in anyway different from the above description. 



GENUS XXI. LU'ZULA. DE CAND. Wood Rush. 

 Nat. Ord. JCN'CE.*. DE CAND. 



GEN. CHAR. Perianth of six pieces, glumaceous. Stamens six 

 (rarely three;. Capsule of one cell, three valved, valves without 

 disseppiments, three seeded. In reference to the name Smith 

 says, " The hairy heads of flowers wet with dew, and sparkling by 

 moonlight, gave the elegant Italians an idea of their lucciole, or 

 glow worms, sometimes written luzziole; but this is a provincial 

 corruption. Hence, however, John Bauhin got the name of 



