Scilla.) LXXXV. LILIACE#, 463 
ing at the top only. Stamens inserted on the perianth, below the centre 
of the segments. Seeds of Ornithogalwm. 
A considerable genus, chiefly from the Mediterranean and Caucasian 
regions, distinguished from Ornithogalum chiefly by the colour of the 
flowers and deciduous perianth, from Hyacinthus by the segments dis- 
tinct from the base or very nearly so. 
Flowers erect, the perianth-segments spreading. 
Flowers in spring, with a bract under each pedigel ; ‘ igh BS wernda bie, 
Flowers in autumn, without bracts ; : , ‘ . 2. S. autumnalis. 
Flowers nodding, narrow bell-shaped : ; . : : . & S. nutans. 
Two or three Mediterranean species, with corymbose racemes of 
bright-blue flowers, are cultivated in our flower-gardens. 
1. S. verna, Huds. (fig. 1044). Spring S.—A delicate little plant, 
with a small bulb, and narrow-linear leaves, 2 to 4inches long. TFlower- 
stem seldom 6 inches long, with several small, erect blue flowers, in a 
short terminal raceme, almost flattened into a corymb, with a linear 
bract under each pedicel. Perianth-segments scarcely above 3 lines 
long, spreading, but not so much so as in Ornithogalum. Stamens 
inserted close to their base. 
In stony and sandy wastes, and pastures, especially near the sea, in 
western Hurope, reappearing farther east in Denmark, on the Rhine, 
and in Sardinia. In Britain, it occurs at intervals, but in abundance 
on the east coast of Ireland, the western and northern coasts of Great 
Britain, the east of Scotland, and very locally in north-eastern England. 
Fl. spring. 
2.8. autumnalis, Linn. (fig. 1045). Autumnal S.—Bulb rather 
larger than in S. verna. Flower-stems 6 to 9 inches high, or more when 
very luxuriant, appearing after the leaves have withered away. Flowers 
small, erect, of a pale violet-blue, or somewhat pink, in a raceme short 
at first, but which will lengthen out to 2 or even 3 inches, all the pedi- 
cels remaining of the same length, and without bracts. As the flower- 
ing advances, a tuft of leaves, similar to those of S. verna, shoots out 
by the side of the stem for the following year. 
In rocky wastes of southern Europe, from Spain to the Caucasus, 
extending northward into central France, and up the western coast to 
the English Channel, reappearing on the Rhine. In Britain, confined 
to some of the southern counties of England. FU. autumn. 
3. S. nutans, Sm. (fig. 1046).  Bluebell.—Bulb white, full of a 
clammy juice. Leaves linear, shorter than the flower-stem, 4 or 5 lines 
broad. Stem about a foot high, angular, with a terminal, one-sided 
raceme of drooping blue flowers, each with a small narrow bract at the 
base of the pedicel. Perianth about 6 lines long, almost tubular, the 
segments spreading at the top only, although distinct, or very shortly 
united at the very base, Stamens inserted above the base of the seg- 
ments, but below the middle. Hyacinthus nonseriptus, Linn. 
In woods, hedges, and shady places, in western Europe, from Spain 
to Britain, extending eastward only into central France, and here and 
there along the Mediterranean to Italy. Very abundant in Britain. 
Fl. spring. Originally placed in the genus Hyacinthus, on account of 
the general form of the perianth, it was removed to Scilla as having the 
segments distinct or nearly so, and is now often considered as forming 
