518 THE AMAETLLIS FAMILY. 



into central Europe, and several, long since cultivated for ornament, or for 

 saffron collected from their stigmas, have established themselves in a few 

 localities stni further north. 



Flowers in spring, with the leaves. Stigmaa wedge-shaped, and slightly 



jagged 1. Spring C. 



Flowers in autumn, without leaves. Stigmas cut into a many-lobed 



fringe 2. Naked C. 



1. Spring' Crocus. Crocus vernus, WiUd. 

 (Eug. Bot. t. 344.) 



Leaves enclosed at the base in a tube of 2 or 3 thin, scarious, sheathing 

 scales. Flowers solitary within the leaves, of a bluish purple ; the ovary 

 sessile on the bulb, the long tube enclosed at the base in a sheath similar to 

 that of the leaves. Stigmas of a rich-orange, dUated at the top, and slightly 

 jagged, but not deeply fringed. 



In meadows, in the hilly districts of central and southern Europe, not 

 further north than central France. Tn Britain, apparently naturalized in 

 the meadows about Nottingham, and other parts of central England, and 

 in some parts of Ireland. FI. early spring. 



2. Naked Crocus. Crocus nudiflorus, Sm. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 491.) 



Flowers rather larger than in the spring C, appearing after the leaves of 

 the year have withered, and before those of the following year are deve- 

 loped. They somewhat resemble the flowers of the common ColcMcmn, but 

 are readily distinguished by the 3, not 6, stamens. Tube very long, en- 

 losed halfway up in the sheathing scales. Stigmas deeply cut into an ele- 

 gant orange fringe or tassel. 



In meadows and pastures, in south-western Europe, but not nearer to us 

 tlian south-western Fi-ance. Said, however, to be perfectly natm-ahzed iu 

 the meadows about Nottingham, and in some other localities in central 

 England. Fl. autumn. 



LXXXII. AMARYLLIS FAMILY. AMAETLLIDE^. 



Eootstock bulbous, except in a very few exotic genera. 

 Leaves radical and parallel-veined. Perianth petal-like, with 

 6 segments. Stamens 6, the anthers turned inwards. Ovary 

 inferior or adherent to the perianth-tube, 3-celled. Fruit a 

 capsule, with sevei-al seeds, opening in 3 valves. 



A large Order, widely distributed over the globe, chiefly in dry, sunny 

 countries ; differmg from the Lily family in the inferior ovary, from the Iris 

 family in the 6 stamens. 



Perianth tubular at the base, the limb spreading, with a cup-shaped or 



tubular crown at the mouth of the tube 1 . Naecissus. 



Perianth divided to the ovary, without any crown. 



Three outer perianth-segments larger than the inner ones .... 2. Snowdeop. 



Perianth-segments all equal 3. Snowflake. 



Many of the most showy exotic bulbous plants grovra in our gardens 

 and planthouses belong to this family, including the genera Amaryllis, 

 Ahtroemeria, Crinum, Pancratium (called Guernsey Lily, from an erro- 





