A M A 



A M A 



The characters are : that the calyx is a spathe, 

 oblong, obtuse, compressed, emarginate, gaping 

 on the flat side, and withering: the corolla has 

 six petals, lanceolate : the nectary has six very 

 short scales, without the base of the filaments: 

 the stamina have six awl-shaped filaments, with 

 oblong, incumbent, rising anthcra? : the pistil- 

 luni has a roundish, furrowed, inferior germ, the 

 style filiform, almost of the length and in the 

 situation of the stamina : tiie stigma trifid and 

 slender : the pericarpium is a subovate, three- 

 celled capsule, and the seeds are several. The 

 inflection of the petals, stamina, and pistillum, is 

 very various in the different species of this genus; 

 and the corolla in most of the species is rather 

 hexapetaloid than six-petalled. 



The species are very numerous, but those prin- 

 cipally cultivated are: 1. A. lutea, Yellow Ama- 

 rvllis, or Autumnal Narcissus; 2. A. Atamasco, 

 Atamasco Lily ; 3. A.formosissima, JacobseaLily ; 

 4. J. Rrgi/ice, Mexican Lily ; 5. A. purpurea, 

 Purple-flowered Amaryllis; 6. A. Belladonna, 

 Belladonna Lily; 7- A. vittata, Superb or Rib- 

 band Amaryllis; 8. A. longifolia, Long-leaved 

 Amaryllis; 9. A.orientalis, Broad-leaved Afri- 

 can Amaryllis ; io. A. Sarniensis, Guernsey Lily; 

 11. A. Zeylanica, Ceylon Lily; 12. A. latifolia, 

 Broad-leaved Amaryllis. 



In the first species, or Yellow Amaryllis, the 

 flower-stems seldom rise above three or four inches 

 in height : the flowers are shaped somewhat like 

 those of the Large Yellow Crocus, one coming 

 up from each sheath: the leaves arc green, and 

 come up at the same time, like the Saffron ; and 

 after the flowers are past, they increase all the 

 winter. The roots are shaped like those of the 

 Narcissus. It flowers in September, and is a native 

 of the South of France. 



The second species, or Atamasco Lily, has the 

 flowers at their first appearance of a fine carna- 

 tion colour on the outside, but which fade till 

 tiny are almost white. They are nearly as large 

 as those of the Small Orange Lily, but do not 

 grow above six or eight inches in height. They 

 appear about the end of May or beginning of 

 June, and sometimes in August. It is a native 

 of Virginia. 



In the third, or Jacobrea Lily, the flower-stems 

 are produced from the sides of the bulbs, so that 

 alter the flower produced on one side is decayed, 

 another stalk arises from the other side of the 

 bulb; but there is usually no more than one 

 flower produced on the same stalk. The flowers 

 are large, and of a very deep red : the under pe- 

 tals are very large, and the whole flower stands 

 nodding on one side of the stalk, making a most 

 beautiful appearance. It is a native of South 

 America. 



The fourth, or Mexican Lily, has the bulb of a 

 green colour; the scape round, and sub-compressed. 

 The corolla scarlet, with a bottom of a whitish 

 green : the three outer petals reversed at the tip, the 

 three inner fringed at the base, the style red. The 

 flower-stems seldom rise more than one foot in 

 height; each stem supports two, three, or four 

 flowers, rarely more ; they are large, and of a 

 bright copper-colour, inclining to red : the spathe, 

 which covers the buds before they open, divides 

 into two parts to the bottom, standing on each 

 side the umbel of flowers, joined to the pedun- 

 cles. It flowers constantly in the spring, when 

 it is placed in a very w arm stove ; and is in beauty 

 in February; those which are in a moderate tem- 

 perature of air, flowering in March or April. 



In the fifth the corolla is large, and of a blood- 

 red, or purple-colour, and there are three or four 

 lartie bell-shaped, rather erect flowers coming 

 from each sheath. It is a native of the Cape of 

 Good Hope. 



The sixth, or Belladonna Lily, differs from the 

 fourth species in having the edges of the petals 

 waved, anil nut reversed at the tip. The scape is 

 purple, sustaining from five to seven flowers, in 

 shape like the Common lied Lily, and nearly as 

 large, but of a soft purple colour, inclining to 

 white on the inside toward the bottom, and having 

 an agreeable scent. It usually flowers about the 

 end of September, or the beginning of October, 

 in this climate ; and if the roots are strong, the 

 stems will rise upwards of two feet high. If the 

 season is favourable, or the flowers be screened 

 from frosts, violent winds and heavy rains, they 

 continue in beauty a month or longer; and are 

 very ornamental plants at a season when there is 

 a great scarcity of flowers. It is a native of the 

 West Indies. 



In the seventh, the petals uniting at bottom 

 form a fleshy tube, but the edges of the outer 

 ones are free at the base. It has been named 

 vittata, from its ribband-like appearance, being 

 striped with red on a white ground. The stem 

 rises to the height of three feet or more, raid pro- 

 duces from two to fi\ e beautiful flowers. It 

 usually blossoms in April or May, but may be 

 forwarded by artificial heat. 



In the i ighth species, the flower-stem rarely rises 

 more than threeor four inches in height, but sup- 

 ports a great number oi flowers, of a deep purple- 

 colour, appearing in December. The bulhs arc 

 large, and the leaves long and narrow. It flowers 

 here in July, and is a native of the Cape of 

 Good Hope. 



In the.ninth, or Broad-leaved African Ama- 

 ryllis, the bulbs are large and almost round ; the 

 leaves long, broad, and rounded at their extremi- 

 ties, spreading two ways on the surface of the 



