4 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XIV. 



somewhat resembles the Tiger lily. The commonest flower of the 

 lily order in our gardens is the absurdly-named Tube-rose, Polyxena 

 or Polyanthes tuberosa, really the tuberous-rooted Polyanthes. It is 

 largely grown in native gardens. The other lilies are mostly foliage 

 plants, Aspidistra^ Fhormium, Aloe, Yucca, Draccena^ Cordyline. 

 Yucca gloriosa, or Adam's needle, bears at intervals a magnificent spike 

 of white flowers. 



To arrive at the lilies of Mahableshwar we must again consider 

 the lilies of the field. The well-known text has given a name to the 

 Solomon's Seal, or Polygonatum^ a little flower resembling the Lily 

 of the Valley, a member of the lily order which however does not 

 grow in Syria. The Greek word used is Krina, but Grina are not 

 conspicuous in Syria, and no doubt the reference was to flowers 

 generally. But the lilies of Mahableshwar are Crina, and though 

 Amaryllids are well worthy of the name of lily. The commonest spe- 

 cies is Crinum hrachynema. The huge bulbs may be seen resting on the 

 bare ground on the plateau beyond the old Mahableshwar temple and 

 also just above Kate's Point. This lily may be distinguished from the 

 larger one more commonly used to decorate dinner-tables by its shorter 

 petals and stamens on the throat. The larger lily has perianth-tube 

 3 or 4 inches long, perianth-segments narrow, long-pointed, as long as 

 the tube and protruding red filaments. After the publication of the 

 Flora of British India, Mr. Woodrow discovered that this lily had 

 never been properly identified, and sent specimens to Kew, where it 

 was named Crinum Woodrowi. It had formerly been confounded with 

 Crinum asiaticum, a coarser plant. Crinum Woodrowi may be found 

 in great abundance on the slopes below Kate's Point, lower down than 

 the window and to the west of it. What generations of picnickers 

 have passed by and never seen where grow the lilies ! Another 

 beautiful lily, white tinged with red, Crinum lalifolium^ is found near 

 Panchgani. These three lilies have their own haunts and never seem 

 to flourish anywhere else. Crinum ensifoUum is common in the Poena 

 river, and other Crina are seen in gardens. Practically all the lilies o^ 

 Indian gardens are Amaryllids — Zephyranthes or Swamp lilies, one 

 white, the other rosy ; Hippeastrum or Knight's lily, red or white ; 

 the Jacobean lily {Amaryllis or Sprekelia formosissima) ; the Eucharis 

 lily, Pancratium or Spider lily, and others. A little Pancratium, 



