452 THE IRIS FAMILY. 
Flowers in spring, with the leaves. Stigmas wedge-shaped, and 
, slightly jagged. ° F - ‘ : . LL. C. vernus. 
Flowers in autumn, without leaves. Stigmas cut into a many- ) 
* lobed fringe ? : é : . : ; . 2. C. nudiflorus. 
1. ©. vernus, All. (fig. 1022). Spring or Purple C.—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, dilated at the top, and slightly 
jagged, but not deeply fringed. 
In meadows, in the hilly districts of central and southern Kurope, 
not farther north than central France. In Britain, naturalised in 
meadows of Nottingham, Suffolk, and Middlesex. Fl. ‘early spring. 
2. ©. nudiflorus, Sm. (fig. 1023). Autumnal C.—Flowers rather 
larger than in C. vernus, appearing after the leaves of the year have 
withered, and before those of the following year have developed. ‘They 
somewhat resemble the flowers of Colchicum autumnale, but are readily 
distinguished by the 8, not 6, stamens. Tube very long, enclosed half- 
way up in the sheathing scales. Stigmas deeply cut into an elegant 
orange fringe or tassel. 
In meadows and pastures, in south-western Europe, but not nearer to 
us than south-western France. Naturalised in the meadows of several 
of the midland counties. Fl. autumn. 
01 iter, pee? a 
LXXXIIIl AMARYLLIDEA. THE AMARYLLIS 
FAMILY, 
Rootstock 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 several seeds, opening in 3 valves. 
A large Order, widely distributed over the globe, chiefly in dry, sunny 
countries ; differing from the Lily family in the inferior ovary, from the i 
Tris family in the 6 stamens. ; 
e 
Perianth tubular at the base, the Jimb spreading, with a cup- ’ % 
shaped or tubular crown at the mouth of the tube. . 1. NARCISsuUs. : 
Perianth divided to the ovary, without any crown. ‘ 
Three outer perianth-segments larger than the inner ones . 2. GALANTHUS. 
Perianth-segments all equal : ‘ - - : ; . 38, LeucorIum. 
Many of the most showy exotic bulbous plants grown in our gardens 
and planthouses belong to this family, including the genera Amaryllis, 
Alstremeria, Crinum, Nerine sarniensis (called Guernsey nly, from an 
erroneous irapression that it was a native of Guernsey), and others, 
besides the Bigantic Agave americana, commonly called Aloe, but not : 
congener of the true Aloes of botanists, which are Liliaceous plaute 
