868 



THE LILY FAMILY. 



Fig. 1044. 



the pedicel as in the larger species 

 which is common in central Europe. 



In the bogs of northern Europe, 

 Asia, and America, and of the great 

 mountain-ranges of central Europe, 

 but always at high latitudes or in al- 

 pine situations. Not uncommon in the 

 mountains of Scotland and northern 

 England, and said to have been found 

 in northern Ireland. Fl. summer. 



XYII. COLCHICUM. COLCHICUM. 



Bulbous herbs, with radical leaves, and the large, almost radical, 

 long-tubed flowers of Crocus. Stamens 6. Ovary underground, but 

 within the tube of the perianth, not below it. Styles 3, very long and 

 thread-like. Capsule 3-valved, with many seeds. 



A small genus, chiefly Mediterranean and west Asiatic, with the 

 habit of Crocus, but very different stamens, ovary, and styles. 



1. Common Colchieum. Colchicum autumnale, Linn. 

 (Fig. 1015.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 133. Meadow- Saffron.) 



At the time of flowering there are no leaves ; the brown bulb ending 

 in a sheath of brown scales enclosing the base of the flowers, whose 

 long tube rises to 3 or 4 inches aboveground, with 6 oblong segments 

 of a reddish-purple or rarely white, and near 1^ inches long. Soon 

 afterwards the leaves appear and attain in spring a length of 8 or 

 10 inches by about 1 or 1J inches in breadth. The capsule is 

 then raised to the surface of the ground by the lengthening of the 



