488 THE LIL 



XVII. TOFIELDIA. TOFIELDIA. 



Herbs, with creeping rootstocks, grass-like, chiefly radical leaves, 

 vertically flattened and sheathing on opposite sides as in Iridece, and 

 small yellowish green flowers in terminal spikes. Perianth of 6 dis- 

 tinct segments persistent round the capsule. Stamens inserted at their 

 base. Ovary 8-lobed, with 3 distinct styles. Capsules small, 3-lobed, 

 with several small oblong, brown seeds. 



A small genus, chiefly North American, extending along the Andes 

 to tropical America, and westward across northern Asia to Europe. 



1. T. palustris, Huds. (fig. 1058). Scottish Asphodel. Radical leaves 

 an inch or rarely 1 inches long. Flower-stem about 6 inches high, 

 with 1 or 2 short leaves at its base, and terminated by a little 

 globular or ovoid spike or head ; the perianth not quite a line long. 

 The very short pedicels are each in the axil of a minute bract, and 

 within the bract is a still smaller 2-lobed or 3-lobed one, sometimes 

 quite imperceptible, but never placed at the top of the pedicel as in the 

 larger species which is common in central Europe. 



In the bogs of northern Europe, Asia, and America, and of the great 

 mountain-ranges of central Europe, but always at high latitudes or in 

 alpine situations. Not uncommon in the mountains of Scotland and 

 northern England, but not found in Ireland. PI. summer. 



XVIII. COLCHICUM. COLCHICUM. 



Bulbous herbs, with radical leaves, and the large, almost radical, 

 long-tubed flowers of Crocus. Stamens 6. Ovary underground, but 

 within the tube of the perianth, not below it. Styles 3, very long and 

 thread-like. Capsule 3-valved, with many seeds. 



A small genus, chiefly Mediterranean and West Asiatic, with the 

 habit of Crocus, but very different stamens, ovary, and styles. 



1. C. autumnale, Linn. (fig. 1059). Common <?., Meadow Saffron. At 

 the time of flowering there are no leaves ; the brown bulb ending in a 

 sheath of brown scales, enclosing the base of the flowers, whose long 

 tube rises to 3 or 4 inches above ground, with 6 oblong segments of a 

 reddish-purple or rarely white, and near 1 inches long. Soon after- 

 wards the leaves appear and attain in spring a length of 8 or 10 inches 

 by about 1 or 1 inches in breadth. The capsule is then raised to the 

 surface of the ground by the lengthening of the peduncle, soon after 

 which the leaves wither away. 



In moist meadows, and pastures, over the greater part of Europe, 

 but rare in the north, and scarcely extends into Asia. Very abundant 

 in some parts of England, rare in Ireland, and naturalised only in 

 Scotland. Fl. autumn. 



LXXXVI. JTTNCACEJB. THE RUSH FAMILY. 

 Herbs, usually stiff, with cylindrical or narrow and grass- 

 like leaves, and small, herbaceous or dry flowers, in terminal or 

 apparently lateral clusters or panicles. Perianth regular, dry, 

 and calyx-like, of 6 segments. Stamens 6 or rarely 3 only, the 



