200 ENGLISH EOTANT. 



each bulb, and apparently never more than two, 2 to 10 inches high, 

 but commonly about 3 or 4 inches. Corymb 3- to 12- flowered. 

 Perianth leaves -y\ inch lonir, oval-lanceolate, very pale dull blue 

 when growing, but turning bright blue when dried. Capsules about 

 the size of sweet-pea seeds, ovate-subglobular, acuminate, trigonous. 

 Seeds subglobular-compressed and angular, black, smooth when moist, 

 rugose when dry, nearly as large as rape-seed. 



Vernal Squill. 



Frencli, Scille du printemps. German, Meerzwiehel. 



A foreign species of Squill, S. maritima, is used in medicine, and is included in the 

 Pharmacopoeia. Squill bulbs are imported from Malta and other Mediterranean 

 ports, and also from St. Petersburg and Copenhagen ; and they are commonly brought 

 sliced and di-ied. The active properties of the Squill are emetic, irritant, and expec- 

 torant. It is prescribed in dropsy, catarrh, asthma, and phthisis. In the British 

 Pharmacopreia, syrup of Squills is admitted, and is a favourite remedy for coughs and 

 hoarseness. 



Sub-Genus IL— ENDYMION. Du Mortier. 



Perianth segments slightly connected at the base, more or less con- 

 nivcnt even while in flower. The three exterior filaments adnate for 

 half their length or more to the three outer perianth segments. Seeds 

 subglobular, without a strophiole at the base. 



SPECIES m.— SCILLA NUTANS. Sm. 



Plate MDXXVIII. 



Hekli. le. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. X. Tab. CCCLXI. Fig. 1008. 



BilhA, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 2544. 



EndjTnion nutans, Du Moii. Koch, Syn. Fl. Germ, et Helv. ed. ii. p. 834. Gren. & 



Godr. Fl. de Fr. Vol. IH. p. 215. Pari. Fl. Ital. Vol. H. p. 478. 

 E. non-scriptus, Garcke, Fl. von Nord- und Mittel-Deutsehland, ed. vi. p. 401. Crep. 



Man. Fl. Belg. ed. ii. p. 282. 

 Agi-aphis nutans, Linlc. Hook. & Am. Brit. Fl. ed. viii. p. 450. liekh. I.e. p. 13. 

 Ilj-acinthus non-scriptus, Linn. Spec. PI. p. 453. 



Bulb coated. Leaves several, appearing in early spring before the 

 flowers, and withering in summer, strapshaped-linear, attenuated at 

 each end, widely channelled. Flowers drooping, few or rather nume- 

 rous, in a rather lax raceme which droops at the apex until after 

 flowering. Pedicels recurved in flower, erect in fruit, shorter than 

 the flowers. Bracts longer than the pedicels, scarious, coloured, blue, 

 acuminate. Perianth leaves connivent into a cylindrical tube, with 

 their tips recun"ed or revolute, purplish-blue, concolorous. Three 



I 



