

Scilla.] LILIACEJE. 409 



Leaves 10-18 iu., | in. broad, subacute, concave. Scape solitary, tall, stout. 

 Raceme 6-12-fld. ; bracts linear, membranous. Flowers 1 in., blue purple 

 white or pink, drooping; pedicel short, curved, erect in bud and fruit. 

 Capsule subglobose.— Distrib. W. Europe from Belgium southd to Italy, , 



lO. ORNITHO'GALUM, L. 



Bulb coated. Leaves all radical, linear. Flowers racemose or corym- 

 bose, white. Perianth spreading, persistent ; segments 6, free, with a 

 basal nectariferous gland. Stamens 6, hypogynous, filaments flattened ; 

 anthers versatile, linear-oblong. Ovary 3-quetrous, with 3 glands on the 

 top ; style 3-gonous, stigma obtuse ; cells many-ovuled. Capsule grooved, 

 loculicidally 3-valved. Seeds terete or angled, testa black, rough when 

 dry ; embryo cylindric, radicle next the hilum. — Distbib. Europe, N. 

 and W. Asia, N. Africa ; species about 70. — Etym. The classical name. 



O. pyrena'icum, L. ; raceme many-fid., pedicels spreading, filaments 



much dilated to above the middle. 



"Woods and copses, local, Somerset, Wilts, Bedford, Berks, Sussex ; fl. June- 

 July. — Bulb 2 in., ovoid. Leaves 1-2 ft., J-^ in. diam., vernal, concave, 

 glaucous, soon withering at the flowering season . Scape tall, stout. Raceme 

 4-8 in., very many-fld. ; bracts subulate. Perianth 1 in. diam. ; segments 

 narrow-oblong, green, margins white inside. Capsule % in. — Distrib. 

 From Belgium southd. — Young shoots eaten, sold at Bath as French 

 Asparagus. 



0. ttmbella'tum, L. ; corymbs 6-10-fld., pedicels suberect, filaments 

 broadly subulate. Star of Bethlehem. 

 Copses, meadows, &c, naturalized ; fl. May-June. — Bulb 1 in., with many 



bulbils. Leaves 6-8 in., ^ in. broad, concave, green with a white stripe. 



Scape tall ; rachis of corymb elongate after flowering ; bracts very long. 



Perianth 1-1J in. diam. ; segments linear-oblong, white with a dorsal green 



midrib. Capsule obovoid. — Distrib. From Holland southd. 



0. nu'tans, L. ; racemes few-fid. drooping, filaments broadly dilated 



upwards 3-fid. 



Copses, &c, Midland and E. counties from Yorkshire and Durham to Here- 

 ford, naturalized ; fl. April-May. — Bulb 2 in. Leaves 1-2 ft., J-§ in. broad, 

 concave, glaucous with a white stripe. Scape as long; bracts long, slender ; 

 pedicels curved, |-§ in. Perianth 1-1| in. broad ; segments lanceolate, 

 white with a dorsal green midrib. Capsule pendulous, broadly ovoid, green, 

 fleshy. — Distrib. S. Europe. 



lO.* LIL'IUM, L. 



Bulb of many imbricate fleshy scales. Leaves all cauline, not sheath- 

 ing, alternate or whorled. Flowers few or many, large, erect or drooping, 

 homogamous ; perianth-segments free, caducous, erect below, recurved or 

 revolute above ; nectary median, elongate. Stamens hypogynous or on 

 the base of the segments, filaments subulate ; anthers fixed above the 



