L iliaccce Camassia. 5 1 9 



Perianth 6-partite, the five upper segments closer together, the 

 sixth standing by itself. The raceme' is pendulous and fur- 

 nished with long bracts. The bulbs are edible and largely 

 collected by the Indians of Colombia. 



15. SCILLA. 



This is a very extensive genus of beautiful bulbous herbs. 

 Bulbs tunicated. Leaves all radical and linear. Flowers 

 racemose, usually blue, rarely purple or white. Perianth- 

 segments nearly or quite free, nerve of one rib. Stamens 6, 

 perigynous ; filaments not dilated. The classical name. S. 

 verna and S. autumnalis are small species indigenous in the 

 South-west of England, though very rare. The former bears 

 bracteate racemes of bright blue fragrant flowers in April 

 or May, and the latter bractless racemes of reddish-purple 

 flowers in August or September. 



Dr. Masters has recently investigated the early "Spring 

 Squills, and he ranges them under three species, as follows : 



1. S. bifolia. Bulb ovoid. Leaves 2 or 3, spreading, 

 recurved, linear-lanceolate, channelled, terminating in a short 

 blunt cylindrical point. Scape equalling or exceeding the 

 leaves ; bracts minute ; pedicels spreading, lower ones longer 

 than the upper ones. Flowers 5 or 6, blue ; segments of the 

 perianth oblong, obtuse, spreading. This includes several 

 varieties differing in the colour of the flowers, as rosea, alba, 

 cdrnea, etc. ; and 8. prcbcox is an earlier-flowering form with 

 larger flowers of a deeper blue than in the type. Russia to 

 Greece. 



2. 8. Sibirica. Bulb roundish. Leaves about four, flat, 

 strap-shaped, slightly thickened at the point. Scape flattened, 

 striated,' scarcely so long as the leaves. Flowers 2 to 6, rarely 

 solitary, on short pedicels, pale clear blue, more intense along 

 the medial nerves of the segments. This includes the names 

 cernua, uni flora, azurea, amwnula, etc. Asia Minor, etc. 



3. S. amcena. Bulbs ovoid or roundish. Leaves nume- 

 rous, spreading, strap-shaped, acute, and nearly a foot long, 

 midrib prominent below. Scape erect, shorter than the leaves, 

 compressed, striated, purplish upwards. Flowers 3 to 6, dark 

 indigo blue, in a loose two-sided cluster. Segments of the 

 perianth lanceolate, acute, midrib prominent. Filaments 

 slightly dilated and whitish at the base, blue above. Ovary 

 pale yellow. Central Europe and the Tyrol. 



