222 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



SPECIES I.-N ART HE CIUM OSSIPRAGUM. Buds. 

 Plate MDXLII. 



Eekh. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. X. Tab. CCCCXXT. 

 Authoricum Ossifragum, Linn. Sp. PL p. 446. 



The only known species. 



On boggy heaths and sjwngy bogs. Not uncommon, and generally 

 distributed. 



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



Kootstock extensively creeping, slender, emitting dense tufts of 

 root-fibres, and at intervals leaf-tufts and flowering stems, the two latter 

 enveloped at the base by scarious sheaths and the fibrous remains 

 of deca3-ed leaves and sheaths. Leaves linear-ensiform, commonly 

 slightly falcate, 2 to 18 inches long, pale green, with several very 

 strong ribs. Flowering stem 4 to 18 inches high, without falcate 

 leaves at the base, with several minute bractlike leaves with scarious 

 margins, the lower stem-leaves with completely sheathing bases, the 

 upper ones semi amplexicaul. Raceme 1 to 4 inches high. Pedicels 

 spreading in flower, erect in fruit, with a bract at the base, and often 

 a bracteole above the middle. Perianth leaves spreading in flower, 

 connivent in fruit, about \ inch long, lauceolate-strapshaped, yellow, 

 greenish on the middle of the back, where there are 3 or 5 strong 

 ribs. Anthers orange-scarlet. Capsule longer than the perianth leaves, 

 about f inch, slender, much acuminated at the apex, brick red. Seeds 

 very minute, with an elongated tail at each extremity.' 



N. Americanum is evidently only a subspecies having the leaves 

 narrower than the European plant, and the flowers and capsule 

 smaller. 



Lancashire Asphodel. 



French, NartJiScie des juarais. German, Gemeines Beinlicil. 



This little plant is common on -wet moors and the boggy sides of lulls. Since 

 sheep pasturing in such localities are liable to the rot, it was formerly thought that 

 this disease was attributable to the herbage on which they fed ; and hence this 

 innoxious plant received the ill-omened name osstjragum, or " bone-breaker." 



Sub-Oedee IV.— MELANTHE^. 



Leaves of the perianth free or combined, usually all similar and 

 petaloid or herbaceous. Styles free. Fruit a dry capsule, septicidally 

 3-valved. 



Herbs w' ith the root of fasciculated fibres ; the rootstock rarely a 

 bulb or oblique-based corm. Stems simple, rarely branched or nearly 

 absent. Leaves parallel-veined, sometimes equitant and ensiform. 



