22 LILIES FOR ENGLISH GARDENS 



borne is not so great as to crowd the head. It is un- 

 usually liable to fasciation, that curious natural freak 

 whereby a number of flower-stems are joined into 

 one, usually of a flattened shape, and a crowded 

 head of a large number of flowers is produced at the 

 top. 



LILIUM SPECIOSUM (Japan), Archelirion 



This beautiful Lily is deservedly one of the greatest 

 favourites, for though not often grown in the open 

 border (where also it should be in every good garden), 

 yet it is so amenable to pot culture that it has been 

 largely used in that way, and has meanwhile been 

 somewhat overlooked as a border plant. The name 

 lancifoliuMf by which this Lily has been erroneously 

 called, is one of the synonyms of L. elegans. 



The flowers of the species within this sub-genus 

 A rchelirion, are all of daring as well as beautiful form ; 

 the petals are well rolled back, and are handsomely 

 spotted, and often banded with distinct colour. The 

 style is thrown out in a curved line of much grace 

 and strength ; the stamens, instead of following the 

 line of the style as in most other Lilies, boldly diverge 

 from it ; the anthers, thickly covered with bright red 

 rust-coloured pollen, are conspicuous from their size 

 and colour and extremely delicate poise. L. speciosum 

 has all these attractive qualities, and in addition has 

 a strongly waved outline to the petal, which adds much 

 to its beauty. The markings take the form not only 

 of colour, but, near the centre of the flower, of delicate 

 projecting teeth or bristles ; both words quite inade- 



