862 



THE LILY FAMILY. 



3. Field Allium. Allium oleraceum, Linn. (Fig. 1036.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 488, and A. carinatum, t. 1658.) 



Stems 1 to 2 feet high, with a rather 

 small bulb. Leaves narrow-linear, 

 nearly flat, but rather thick, 1 to 1\ 

 lines broad, their sheathing bases co- 

 ^Jf vering the stem a considerable way 

 up. Spatha of 2 broad bracts, with 

 long, green, linear points, one of which 

 at least is much longer than the flowers. 

 Umbel much looser than in the allied 

 species ; the flowers pale brown, on pe- 

 dicels from \ to above 1 inch long, 

 always (in Britain) intermixed with 

 bulbs. Filaments all simple, rather 

 shorter than the perianth. 



In cultivated and waste places, dis- 

 persed over all Europe and Russian 

 Asia, except the extreme north. In Bri- 

 tain, chiefly in southern England and 

 Ireland. Fl. summer. In southern 

 Europe it occurs occasionally without 

 bulbs in the umbel. With us the umbel has often bulbs only, and 

 then it is distinguished from the crow A. by the long points of the 

 spatha-bracts. 



Fig. 1036. 



4. Chive Allium. Allium Schoenoprasum, Linn. 

 (Fig. 1037.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 2441. A. sibiricum, Suppl. t. 2934. Chives.) 



Stems about a foot high, often several together. Leaves very nar- 

 row, but cylindrical and hollow, only one of them sheathing the stem 

 at its base. Umbel contracted into a dense globular head of rather 

 large, purplish flowers, without bulbs. Spatha of 2, or sometimes 3, 

 broad, coloured bracts, much shorter than the flowers. Perianth- 

 segments 3 to 4 lines long, very pointed. Stamens all alike and simple, 

 considerably shorter than the perianth. 



