15 WAYSIDE AND WOODLAND BLOSSOMS. 



anthers, which are attached to the sides of the perianth, one to 

 each segment. The ovary is surmounted by the thread-like 

 style, ending in a minute stigma. The capsule is three-celled, 

 and when the seeds are ripe each cell splits down the side to 

 release the shining black seeds. 



The Genus Scilla belongs to the Natural Order Liliacea? ; 

 its name is classical, and probably derived from the Greek 

 Skyllo, to annoy, in allusion to the bulbs being poisonous. 

 There are two other native species : 



The Vernal Squill (S. vernalis). Flower-scapes, one or two, 

 not so long as leaves. Like S. nutans, it has a couple of long 

 bracts at the base of the pedicels, as the short stalks are called, 

 which connect the flowers with the tall scape. This is a rare 

 plant, occurring only in rocky pastures near the west coast 

 from Flint to Devon ; also Ayr and Berwick to Shetland, and 

 in the E. and N.E. of Ireland. April and May. 



The Autumnal Squill (S. autumnalis} throws up several 

 flower-scapes before the leaves. Flowers, reddish-purple, not 

 drooping, but spreading or erect ; July to September in dry 

 pastures from Gloucester to Cornwall, from Middlesex to Kent. 

 No bracts. 



The Cuckoo-pint (Arum maculatum}. 



Lords-and-Ladies, Cuckoo-pintle, Priest's-pintle, Calves-foot, 

 Starchwort, Ramp, and Wake-robin are also names by which 

 this very familiar spring-plant is known in different localities. Its 

 appearance is remarkable, and its structure no less interesting. 

 About a foot below the surface of woods and hedgebanks is the 

 tuberous rootstock, from which arise above ground in March the 

 handsome arrow- shaped leaves, more or less spotted with red or 

 purple. From the midst of these leaves in April rises the flower- 

 stalk, bearing an enormous pale-green rolled-up bract-leaf, of 

 similar nature to the small thin bract we observed at the base of 

 the pedicels in Stilla, but larger than the ordinary leaves. It 



