SCIADOPITYS 



SCILLA 



1629 



like; the upper ones, crowded at the apex of the shoot, 

 bear iu their axils needle-like Ivs. of another kind, 

 which, however, are considered by some botanists to 

 be leaf-like shoots, or cladophylla, but linear and con- 

 nate in 2's, while others believe them to consist of 

 two connate Ivs. corresponding with the If. -clusters in 

 Pinus. Their morphological structure points towards 

 the first explanation, while they are Ivs. in regard to 

 their physiological function. Fls. monoecious ; the 

 staminate oval, consisting of spirally disposed 2-celled 

 anthers and appearing in dense clusters at the ends of 

 the shoots; the pistillate are solitary at the ends of the 

 shoots and consist of numerous spirally arranged scales 

 subtended by a small bract and bearing 7-9 ovules : cone 

 oblong-ovate, woody, the bracts connate, with the broadly 

 orbicular, thick scales, spreading at the margin; seeds 

 oval, compressed, with narrow wing, emarginate at the 

 apex. The wood is nearly white, very strong and straight- 

 grained. 



verticillita, Sieb. & Zucc. Umbrella Pine. Fig. 2271, 

 2272. Tree, attaining 100 ft., with ascending branches 

 forming a narrow pyramidal, compact head, in old age 

 loose and with pendulous branches: scale-like Ivs. dark 

 brown, % in. long: needles 15-35 in each whorl, linear, 

 stiff, obtuse, deeply furrowed on both sides, dark green 

 and glossy above with a white line beneath, 3-6 in. long: 



%'ITI. Umbrella Pine— Sciadopitys verticillata (trimmed). 



cone 3-5 in. long, ovate-oblong; seed 3^ in. long; cotyle- 

 dons 2. Japan. S.Z. 2:101, 102. F.S. 14:1485, 1486. Gt. 

 32, p. 149; 37, p. 437. Mn. 4, p. 154. Gng. 1:25. Gn. 

 28, p. 204. 205; 38, p. 499. R.H. 1884, p. 10, 17.-There 

 is a dwarf var. and a var. with variegated foliage, both 

 Introduced from Japan. Alfred Rehder. 



SClLLA (the old Greek name used by Hippocrates ; 

 I injure, according to Miller, alluding to the poisonous 

 bulbs). Lilidce(e. Squill. Wild Hyacinth. Blue- 

 bell. About 80 species of perennial bulbous plants, 

 widely distributed in Europe, Asia and Africa in tem- 

 perate districts. They are remarkable for easy culture, 

 quick growth and beautiful blue, rose or white flowers, 

 blooming early in the spring (some in autumn), and 

 therefore, desirable plants for the wild garden, rock 

 garden, or border. Some are stove plants. Some of the 

 South African forms have handsome spotted foliage. 



Generically, the Squills are distinguished as follows: 

 Bulb tunicated, large or small: Ivs. radical, 1-several in 

 number, linear, loriform, lanceolate, oblong or nearly 

 ovate, in Scilla autumnaUs appearing after the flow- 

 ers; scape 1-several, simple, leafless: fls. in racemes, 



which are several- to many-fld., open, compact or spi- 

 cate; bracts small, sometimes minute, hyaline: pedicels 

 short or long, sometimes filiform: fls. small or middle- 

 sized (1 in. across), segments of perianth distinct, peri- 

 anth blue, porcelain-blue, rose-colored or whitish, open 

 rotate, cylindrical-campanulate, or open campanulate, 

 segments persistent for some time; stamens 6, afSxed 

 at base or below the middle of ihe segments; anthers 

 ovate or oblong, dehiscing longitudinally, introrse; 

 ovary sessile, stigma small capitate; ovules 2 in each 

 locule, rarely 8-10, ascending: capsule globose; seeds 

 1-2 in each cell, rarely more; testa black, appressed; 

 embryo small in albumen. The genus is distinguished 

 from Ornithogalnm chiefly by the color of the flowers 

 and deciduous perianth, from Hyacyntlius by the seg- 

 ments .distinct from the base or very nearly so. Great 

 Britain possesses three species of Scilla, S. venia, S. 

 anhimnalis and S. nutans, while Germany has, in ad- 

 dition to S. autnmnalis, three others, viz., S. amaena, 

 S. hifolia and S, Italica. 



Among the early flowers there are none more valuable 

 than the Scillas. They vary considerably in form of 

 flower and foliage, and although typically they have 

 blue or blue-purple flowers, most, if not all of the spe- 

 cies in cultivation have white and red-purple forms. 

 Scilla Sihirica and S. hifolia are the earliest to 

 flower, and of these forms the Asia Minor or Taurian 

 forms are in advance. The form of S. Sihirica known 

 as multiflora is nearly over before the usual type be- 

 gins to expand. There is also sometimes cultivated in 

 the garden a pleasing white Scilla, with hyacinth-like 

 flowers, known to the trade as S. amoena. But these 

 white forms are mostly oddities; the effective ones are the 

 blue-flowering kinds. Occasional hybrids between Scil- 

 las and Chionodoxas are met with (see p. 300). Chi- 

 onoscilla Alleni is the accepted name for a natural hy- 

 brid between Chionodoxa Lucillice and Scilla hifolia, 

 first obtained by Mr. Allen, of Shepton, Mallet, in 1891. 



None of the hardy Squills require special culture, and 

 if planted where they can remain undisturbed for a 

 series of years, they seldom disappoint one if the soil is 

 occasionally enriched by top-dressings of manure, etc. 

 The bulbs should be planted as early as possible in au- 

 tumn. The varieties may be increased by offsets taken 

 after the foliage has matured. For the cool greenhouse 

 or conservatory, many of the Scillas are ideal subjects. 

 For this culture, 5 or 6 bulbs may be put in a 5-in. pot 

 and the vessel afterwards transferred to a coldframe 

 and covered until growth commences. Up to this period 

 very little water will be required, but as the flower- 

 cluster appears the quantity should be increased and 

 the pots transferred to the greenhouse, giving them a 

 position near the glass. The foliage matured, the bulbs 

 may be shaken out of the soil and stored. 



Urginea Scilla, formerly called Scilla maritima, 

 needs to be mentioned in this connection on account of 

 its yielding a medicine for many centuries held in 

 esteem. Almost every one is familiar with syrup of 

 Squills, and has obtained relief from its iise in severe 

 colds. The scales of the bulb contain mucilage, sinis- 

 trin, sugar and crystals of calcium oxalate (stated by 

 botanists to ward off snails): the active principles are 

 scillipicrin, scillitoxin and scillin (the latter producing 

 numbness, vomiting, etc.). Scilla bulbs or roots should 

 never be used unless under proper direction, as, in their 

 fresh state they are extremely acrid, and might prove 

 dangerous. 



The trade names are considerably confused. Many of 

 the so-called horticultural species and races may be 

 united as mere varieties of species, that have been de- 

 fined botanically. The following names are believed to 

 include all those in tlie American trade, but other spe- 

 cies are known to fanciers. 



amoena, 13, 

 autnmnalis, 6. 

 bifolia, 9. 

 eampanvlata, 3. 

 cemiia, 1. 

 Chinensis, 5. 

 ciliaris, 7. 

 Clusii, 7. 

 festalis, 1. 

 Hispanica, 3. 



INDEX. 



hyacinthoides, 11, 3. 

 Italica, 14. 

 Japoniea, 15. 

 monophylla, 8. 

 monophyllos, 8. 

 Natalensis, 10. 

 nonscripta, 1. 

 Numidiea, 4. 

 nutans, 1. 



parviflora,4, 11. 

 patula, 3. 

 Peruviana, 7. 

 prceeox, 12. 

 pumila, 8. 

 pusehkinioides, 2. 

 seilloides, 5. 

 Sibirica, 12. 

 verna, 16. 



