840 



THE AMARYLLIS FAMILY. 



Fig. 1012. 



shortly pedicellate above the terminal 

 bract or spatha. Perianth-segments 

 quite distinct down to the ovary, the 3 

 outer ones pure white, oblong, about 8 

 or 9 lines long, the 3 inner about half 

 that length, and usually tipped with 

 green. 



In woods and shady pastures, in cen- 

 tral and southern Europe, extending east- 

 ward to the Caucasus and northward 

 into central Germany. In Britain, pro- 

 bably not indigenous, but long culti- 

 vated in cottage gardens, and now per- 

 fectly naturalized in many parts of Eng- 

 land, and here and there in Ireland and 

 Scotland. Fl. early spring. 



III. SNOWFLAKE. LEUCOIUM. 



Elowers solitary or several together, from a terminal spatha. Peri- 

 anth-segments 6, nearly equal, distinct down to the ovary or slightly 

 cohering at the base. Anthers obtuse, opening in longitudinal slits. 



A genus of very few species, chiefly south European, and distributed 

 by some garden botanists into almost as many genera. 





1. Summer SnowfLake. Leucoium sestivum, Linn. 

 (Fig. 1013.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 621.) 



Bulb larger than that of the Snoivdrop. Leaves few, a foot long or 

 more, like those of a Narcissus. Stem 1 to 1 J feet high, with a termi- 

 nal cluster of 2 to 6 broadly bell-shaped flowers, on pedicels varying 

 from 1 to 2 inches in length, arising from a sheathing bract or spatha. 

 Perianth-segments ovate, about 6 lines long, of a pure white, with a 

 short, sometimes greenish tip. 



