460 | THE LILY FAMILY. | “[Lloydia. 
and a small yellow spot at the base. Stamens shorter than the perianth, 
and inserted at its very base. 
In rocky mountains, in northern and Arctic Europe, Asia, and America, — 
andin the high mountain-ranges of Europe and Asia. Very rarein Britain, 
and only on the Snowdon range. Fl. June. | 
X.GAGEA. GAGEA. 
Bulbous herbs, with 1 or 2 radical leaves, and a short stem, with a ter- 
minal raceme of yellow flowers flattened into a corymb, with a leaf-like 
green bract under each pedicel, and sometimes a leaf below the flowers. 
Perianth spreading, with distinct segments, Stamens inserted at their very 
base, with filiform, not flattened filaments. Seeds of Ornithogalum. 
A small European and Asiatic genus, closely allied to Ornithogalum, 
with which it was formerly united, but distinguished by the stamens, the 
yellow flowers, and more leafy bracts. 
1. G. lutea, Ker. (fig. 1038). Yellow Gagea.—Bulbs small, forming 
usually two new ones every year, one on each side of the old one. Leaves 
1 or very rarely 2, linear, pointed and curved like those of a Tulip. Stem 
slender, rarely 6 inches high. Flowers 3 or 4, in a flat raceme, almost con- 
tracted into an umbel; the leaf-like bracts as long as the pedicels or 
longer. Perianth-segments about 6 lines long, very spreading, narrow- 
oblong, yellow, with a green back. 
In meadows and fields, especially in sandy soils, over the greater part 
of Europe and temperate Asia, except the extreme north. Occurs in 
several parts of England, and the Lowlands of Scotland, but rarely, and 
not found in Ireland. //. spring. Continental botanists distinguish as 
species several forms, according as to whether there are 1, 2, or 3 bulbs at 
the time of flowering (if one only, it is the old bulb still remaining entire, 
the new ones commencing only, or not yet visible; if 3, the 2 new ones 
are fully formed, spreading out horizontally before the old one is absorbed ; 
if 2, the old one is fully absorbed, leaving only a shrivelled stem between 
the 2 new ones), and some slight differences in tbe breadth, and obtuse or 
pointed ends of the perianth-segments, and it is probable ,that similar 
variations may be found in the British specimens, 
XI. ORNITHOGALUM. ORNITHOGALUM., 
Bulbous herbs, with the leaves all radical and not sheathing the stem. 
Flowers white or partly green, in a terminal raceme, with a scarious bract 
under each pedicel. Perianth very spreading, with distinct segments, re- 
maining persistent after fading. Stamens almost free from the perianth, 
with flattened filaments. Seeds few, black, nearly globular, 
A considerable genus, chiefly European, west Asiatic, and African, only 
distinguished from Scilla by the more persistent perianth, without any 
blue or pink in its colour. 
'Raceme flattened into a corymb, the lower pedicels much longer 
than the upper . : : - : ‘ 3 - - 1. O. umbellatum, 
Racemes elongated, the pedicels of nearly equal length. 
Flowers few and large, the segments near an inch long . . 2. O, nutans. 
Flowers small and numerous, the segments about 4 lineslong. 3. O pyrenaicum. 
