THE LILY FAMILY. 



157 



{L. chalcedonicum), Tiger Lily (L. tigrinum)^ Lance-leaved 

 Lily {L. lancifolium), Golden-striped Lily (L. auratum), and 

 the pretty slender- leaved Lily (L. tenuifolium). — In addition 

 to those already named others are sometimes, though more 

 rarely, found in gardens. They are natives of Greece, 

 Eastern Europe, Levant, China, and Japan. The Golden- 

 rayed Lily of Japan (L. auratum) was introduced in 1863, 

 producing under good cultivation flower-stems 5 — 6 feet 

 high, bearing very large sub-erect white flowers, richly spotted 

 with purple and banded with gold ; the flower is sometimes 

 a foot in diameter. L. giganteum, a native of Nepal, is a 

 magnificent species, with large elliptical leaves, and erect 

 flower stems 6 — 8 feet high, bearing large pendulous white 

 flowers. In this country it requires the protection of the 

 greenhouse. 



Much diflerence of opinion exists as to the plant spoken of 

 in the Scriptures as "Lily of the Valley,"* some referring 

 it to L. candidum, others to L. chalcedonicum^ both of which 

 are abundant in some parts of Palestine. With regard to 

 the " Lilies of the field"'f spoken of in St. Matthew's Gospel, 

 it seems to signify all pretty wild flowers. 



Tuberose {Polianthes tuberosus). This is said to be a 

 native of the East Indies, but has been long introduced to 

 the South of Europe, and is at present extensively cultivated 

 in Italy, from whence its bulbs are largely imported to this 

 country. It derives its generic name from polis^ a city, and 

 anthos, a flower, literally " flower of the city." It must not 

 be confounded with the generic name " Polyanthus" of the 

 Primrose Family. 



Soap Bulb (^Chlorogalum pomeridianum). A native of 

 California, and has the remarkable property of " lathering" 

 in water like soap, this effect being produced by the muci- 

 lage, it containing neither oil nor alkali. 



Hyacinth {Hyacinthus orientalis). A native of Syria and 



* Song of Solomon, chap. ii. ver. 1. 

 t Chap. vi. ver. 28. 



