208 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



Ireland it is very local, and confined to the counties of Kerry and 

 Cork. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Late Summer, Autumn. 



Root flowering when about the size of a filbert, and rarely exceed- 

 ing that of a nutmeg, the outermost coat brow)iish, the I'cst white, the 

 large offset and the small bulbules dark dull purple, the latter acumi- 

 nated at each end. Stem not thicker than a swanquill, and often less, 

 2 to 3 feet high or more. Leaves similar to those of A. Ampclo- 

 prasum, but sliorter and much narrower (^ to f inch wide), and less 

 closely folded together wlien young, appearing at the close of autumn. 

 Spathe, including the beak, about 1 inch long, the latter about \ inch, 

 and much less compressed than in A. Ampeloprasum. Flowers vari- 

 able in number, the number being inversely as the number of head- 

 bulbnles. Perianth about \ inch long, less swollen at the base than 

 that of A. Amijeloprasum, and of a much darker purplish-rose-colour. 

 Anthers pui-ple. Head-bulbules dark dull purple. The capsule I 

 have not seen ; for, though 1 have cultivated the plant for some years, 

 the fruit has never ripened. 



JMy living specimens were obtained fi*om Thirsk, sent by Mr. J. G. 

 Baker, andfrom Mr. H. C. Watson. 



Linnanis a[)pears, under the name of A. arenarium, to have included 

 a small form of his A. Scordoprasum, and a large one of A. vineale. 

 His description and herbarium specimens belong to the former plant ; 

 but, according to Fries, all the stations which he gives for his A. 

 arenarium yield only A. vineale. 



Sand Leek. 



French, Ail rocambole. German, ScJilmujcnlauch. 



SPECIES III.— ALLIUM SPH^ROCEPHALON. Linn. 



Plate MDXXXIII. 



Reich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. X. Tab. CCCCXCII. Fig. 1080. 



Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 2542. 



A. Ueseglisii, Boreau, Fl. du Centre de la Fr. ed. iii. Vol. II. p. 629 (?). 



Bulb at the time of floAvering consisting of a single large white 

 offset on one side of the flowering stem, and producing several half- 

 ovate trigonous long-stalked white bulbules about the size of cun-ants, 

 which are abruptly acuminated at the base, and longly acuminate- 

 beaked at the apex. Leaves fistulose, all sheathing the scape from 

 the base to below the middle, terete, more or less channelled or 

 flattened above, dark green, slightly glaucous, with numerous more 

 or less scabrous ribs. Scape cylindrical. Spathe 2-valved, ovate- 

 subo-lobular, scarious, abruptly acuminated into a very short conical 



