LILIACEJB. 



859 



dant in Britain. Fl. spring. Originally placed in the genus Hya- 

 cinth, on account of the general form of the perianth ; it was re- 

 moved to Squill as having the segments distinct or nearly so, and is 

 now often considered as forming a distinct genus, either alone or with 

 one or more of the intermediate species which connect it with the 

 other Squills. 



XIII. MUSCARI. MUSCARI. 



Bulbous herbs, with radical, linear leaves, and a terminal raceme of 

 nodding flowers, usually blue or brown. Perianth globular or ovoid, 

 contracted at the mouth, with 6 minute teeth. 



A small genus, chiefly from the Mediterranean region and western 

 Asia, separated from Hyacinth on account of the form of the perianth. 



1. Grape Muscari. Muscari racemosum, Mill. (Fig. 1033.) 

 (Hyacinthus, Eng. Bot. t. 1931. Grape Hyacinth.) 



Bulb rather large. Leaves narrow- 

 linear, rather thick, but not stiff, from 6 

 inches to a foot, or when very luxuriant 

 1\ feet long. Stem usually shorter, with 

 a close terminal raceme or head of small 

 dark-blue flowers, looking almost like 

 little berries ; a few of the uppermost of 

 a paler blue, erect, much narrower, and 

 without stamens or pistil. 



In cultivated and waste places, heaths 

 and pastures, in central and southern 

 Europe, extending eastwards to the 

 Caucasus and northwards over a great 

 part of Germany. In Britain, it occurs 

 in several of the southern and eastern 

 counties of England, but believed to be 

 an introduced plant, having been for- 

 merly much cultivated in flower-gardens. 

 Fl. spring. 



Fig. 1033. 



XIY. ALLIUM. ALLIUM. 



Bulbous herbs, with radical leaves, sometimes sheathing the stem 

 to a considerable height. Flower- stem otherwise leafless, bearing a 



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