LETTER XX. 



THE LILY TRIBE — THE COLCHICUM TRIBE 



THE RUSH TRIBE. 



(Plate XX.) 



Oi»Ji -" The characters of the Asphodel tribe are so simple, 

 that I see no probability of your misunderstanding 

 their application in more than two cases. Let your 

 next inquiry then be how to avoid committing those 

 errors. 



If you examine the flower of a Tulip (Plate XX. 

 1.), you will find so great a resemblance between its 

 structure and that of the Asphodels, that you will not 

 doubt of its belonging to their tribe. It has three 

 sepals {fig- \. b. b 5,), which are of the same size 

 and colour as the three petals (c. c. c); from within 

 these arise six stamens {fig. 2.), and in the centre 

 of all is an ovary with three angles, three cells {fig. 

 3.), and a number of ovules in each cell. All this 

 is quite in accordance with the structure of the As- 

 phodel tribe. The leaves, too, are extremely similar ; 

 they are narrow strap-shaped things, with simple 

 parallel veins ; the underground bodies, moreover, 

 from which the leaves and flowers shoot up, are true 

 bulbs. Surely, then, the Tulip must belong to the 

 Asphodel tribe. 



\j^ce.. 



