134 HEXANDRIA — MONOGYNIA. lOnin/iOgalwr. 



Caps, superior, 2-celled, many- seeded. — Nat. Ord. Lythrariem, 

 Juss — Named from tst'/.icv, anciently applied to the genus Por- 

 tulaca, now to one somewliat similar in habit. 

 (See Lythrum'm CL. XII.) 



** Perianth sittgle, superior. 



4. Leucojum. Perianth campanulate, superior, petaloid, of 

 6 equal pieces, a little thickened at the point. Flotvers from a 

 spatha. — Nat. Ord. Amaryllide^e, £r. — Named from Xev/.o:, 

 white, and <ov, a violet. 



5. Galanthus. Perianth petaloid, of 6 pieces, 3 outer ones 

 spreading-, 3 inner smaller, erect, emarginate. Flowers from a 

 spatha. — Nat. Ord. AiMARYLLiDEiE, Br. — Named from yaXa, 

 milk, and av(?o;, &.Jlower, The French name, perce-neige, is very 

 expressive. 



6. NARcfssus. Perianth superior, coloured, with a spread- 

 ing 6-partite limb, and a campanulate or cup-shaped crown or 

 nectary, within which are the stamens. Flowers from a spatha. 

 — Nat. Ord. Amaryllide^, Br. — Named from lacxjj, stupor, 

 in allusion to the powerful and injurious smell of the flowers. 

 More immediately derivable from the youth Narcissus, who was 

 fabled to be changed into this plant, an inhabitant sometimes 

 of watery places, by the banks of streams. 



*** Perianth single, inferior, petaloid. 



7. Convallaria. Perianth inferior, petaloid, deciduous, 6- 

 cleft, globose or cylindrical. Berry 3-celled. Seeds 1 — 2 in 

 each cell. — Nat. Ord. Smilace^, Br. — Name, convallis, a val- 

 ley ; from the locality of the species. 



8. Allium. Perianth inferior, petaloid, of 6 ovate spreading 

 pieces. Caps, triquetrous. [Flowers umbellate, arising from a 

 2-leaved spatha.) — Nat. Ord. Asphodklkje, Br. — Named from 

 the Celtic all, which signifies acrid, bunting. ( Theis.) 



9. Gagea. Perianth coloured, of 6 persistent pieces, con- 

 nivent below, spreading above. Filaments not dilated at the 

 base. Capside triangular. {Flowers corymbose or umbellate, 

 yellow, ivith foliaceous bracteas.) — Nat. Ord. AsPHODELEiE, Br, 

 — Named in honour of the late Sir Thos. Gage, Baronet, an ex- 

 cellent British botanist. 



10. Ornithogalum. Perianth inferior, petaloid, of 6 per- 

 sistent pieces. Slam, alternately larger or dilated at the base. 

 Capsides with 3 angles and 3 furrows. {Floivers racemose or 

 corymbose. Bracteas membranaceous.) — Nat. Ord. Asphodele^, 

 Br. — Named from o^vig, a bird, and yaXot,, milk. Linnaeus im- 

 agines that the roots of O. tanbellatum are the " Doves Dung," 

 which was sold so dear at the siege of Samaria, as mentioned in 



