480 Iridacea Crocus. 



9. G. nudifldrus. Flowers of a uniform purple or violet. 

 Perianth not hairy at the throat. This species is found in 

 some parts of England, but is probably not indigenous. It 

 flowers in October or November. 



There are very many other species, some of which are 

 occasionally seen in Botanic gardens, but the above include all 

 the commonly cultivated forms. 



ORDER X AMARYLLIDEJE. 



Bulbous or rarely fibrous herbs, sometimes caulescent. 

 Leaves ensiform or linear. Flowers solitary, umbellate or 

 paniculate, frequently emerging from spathaceous bracts. 

 Perianth superior, 6-lobed, variously formed, and often fur- 

 nished with a corona at the top of the tube. Stamens 6, 

 inserted upon the perianth and frequently united into a cup, or 

 with intermediate -staminodes. Fruit capsular and 3-celled, 

 dehiscing loculicidally, or baccate and 1- to 3-seeded. Seeds 

 albuminous. This order numbers about 70 genera and 400 

 species, found in nearly all temperate and tropical regions. 



1. AMARtLLIS. 



Bulbous herbs with umbellate flowers destitute of a corona. 

 Perianth-tube short, lobes strongly nerved. The plants con- 

 stituting this genus and Hippeastrum nearly all require more 

 or less artificial heat in this country; but one, Amaryllis 

 Belladonna (fig. 233), is nearly or quite hardy in the South if 

 planted at a sufficient depth. It grows about a foot and a half 

 high, producing towards the end of Summer large umbels oi 

 beautiful rose-coloured flowers pencilled with crimson. The 

 strap-shaped leaves appear after the flower-stalks have died 

 away. This is a native of South Africa, and has been cul- 

 tivated in European gardens for upwards of two centuries. 

 The generic name is of classic origin. 



2. NERlNE. 



The Guernsey Lily belongs to this genus, and, though 

 scarcely- hardy, deserves mentioning here on account of its 

 extensive culture. It received the name N. Sarniensis in error, 

 being a naturalized plant in Guernsey. It is a native of 

 South Africa, and about the year 1680 a ship containing a 

 quantity of its bulbs was wrecked in the Channel, and the bulbs 



