478 SCILLA. CCLASS VI. ORDEll I. 



bracteas at the base. Perianth of six ovate -lanceolate spreading 

 pieces, concave, and somewhat keeled at the back. Stamens opposite 

 the pieces of the perianth, on awl-shaped filaments, with dark oblong 

 anthers, of two cells. Style erect, as long as the stamens. Stigma 

 obtuse. Capsule roundish, crowned by the persistent style, three 

 angled, three furrowed, three celled, each cell with several seeds. 



Habitat. — Groves and shady places. Said to have been found in the 

 West of England ; but a doubtful native. 



Perennial ; flowering in March and April. 



This species has a very doubtful claim to admittance into the Flora 

 of this country ; its authority seems to rest upon Mr. Simms, druggist, 

 Norwich, who received it from the West of England, and it is also 

 preserved in Buddie's herbarium in the British Museum. 



It is by no means an uncommon plant in the sub-alpine districts of 

 the Continent, flowering in March. It is frequently cultivated in our 

 gardens, and makes a pretty early border variety amongst our Spring 

 flowers. 



3. ^S', autumna'lis, Linn. (Fig. 543.) Autumnal Squill. Bulb 

 globular, coated ; leaves linear, short ; flowers sub-corymbose, longated 

 after flowering ; scape striated ; peduncles without bractea. 



English Botany, t. 78.— English Flora, vol. ii. p. 146.— Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 161. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 269. 



Bulb globular, white, enveloped in rather close pale thin membranous 

 envelopes, and with a few rather fleshy long fibres. Leaves narrow, 

 linear, from two to four inches long, somewhat channeled above, ob- 

 tusely pointed, quite smooth, of a dark green. Scape erect, slender, 

 from four to twelve inches high, roundish, striated, frequently in a 

 spiral manner, smooth, solitary, rarely two. Inflorescence a somewhat 

 corymbose raceme, which becomes much elongated after flowering, the 

 partial stalks round, ascending, becoming elongated and more erect 

 after flowering. Flowers small, of a pinkish violet colour, almost 

 scentless . Perianth of six ovate-lanceolate concave pieces, somewhat 

 keeled at the back by the dark coloured mid-rib, and almost as long as 

 the partial stalk. Stamens nearly as long as the segments of the 

 perianth, from the base of which they are inserted. Filaments pale 

 pink, membranous dilated downwards. Anthers ovate, dark blue, of 

 two cells, bursting laterally. Style erect. Stigmas obtuse. Capsule 

 roundish, three angled, three celled, each cell with several seeds. 



Habitat. — Dry pastures or rocky hills. Kynan's Cove, and other 

 places in Cornwall ; near Bristol ; Moulsey Hurst. — Mr. J. S. Mill. 

 Blackhealh and Richmond, abundant. — Rev. G. E. Smith. Flagpost- 

 hill, Torquay.— iJetJ. J. S. Tozer. Jersey.— T^. C. Trevelyan, Esq. 



Perennial ; flowering in August and September. 



None of the British species of Squill are, that we are aware of, 

 applied to any particular use, though the bulbs of this genus are more 



