THE GLORY OF THE SNOW 



119 



beauty is increased by pale yellow an- 

 thers in tine contrast with the prevail- 

 ing tones of blue ; this goes far to atone 

 for the loss of the white centres so attrac- 

 tive in the Chionodoxa. These crosses 

 are, however, uncommon and too slow 

 of increase to have more than a limited 

 interest. The Chionodoxas are classed 

 by botanists as follows : — 



Cretan Chionodoxa (C. cretica). — A na- 

 tive of the mountains of Crete, with white or 

 pale blue flowers borne sparingly upon long 

 slender stems ; akin to nana but of larger growth . 

 Not free enough in flower tor garden effect. 



Glory of the Snow and its va- 

 rieties {G .Lucilice) . — The common- 

 est and best kind, opening from earlv 

 in February, with starry flowers an 

 inch or more across and in many 

 shades, from pale to deep blue, shad- 

 ing to a white centre. It is a stout 

 grower, rising about 6 inches, with 

 narrow erect leaves and sometimes 

 a score of flowers upon one spike, 

 though eight to fifteen is the usual 

 number. As an early plant of fine 

 colour and little affected by bad 

 weather, it has few equals among 

 winter flowers. It is found in three or 

 four well-marked forms, and seve- 

 ral minor colour variations have 

 received names. These include alba, a pure 

 white kind with large flowers, found wild 

 with the blue form but scarce in gardens, its 

 seedlings rarely coming pure though prolific 

 in pale shades. Rosea is a scarce variety bear- 

 ing pink flowers ; pallida, flowers of a very 

 light blue ; and Boissieri, showing bright, deep 

 colour. 



Allen's Chionodoxa (C. L.var. Alleni). — 

 Though said to come from Mt. Taurus, autho- 

 rities consider this to be merely a selection of 

 the next kind, and inseparable from it. Its 

 flowers are, however, rather earlier in opening, 

 numerous, of large size, and nearer blue in 

 colour than the usual form of gigantea. 



Large-flowered Chionodoxa (C.L. var. 

 gigantea). — A distinct garden variety of Lu- 

 cilice, also known as grandiflora from its large 

 flowers. The plant is of strong robust habit 



with broader leaves and taller spikes than in 

 any other kind, though the flowers are some- 

 times few in number. Their colour is soft 

 violet or porcelain-blue with a small white 

 centre, coming some weeks later than theearly 

 kinds. A fine white form of this plant is now 



i to be had, and a variety albo-rosea, with flowers 



: delicately tinged with rose. 



Deep Blue Chionodoxa (C. L. var. sar- 

 densis). — A variable form of Lucilia? regarded 

 as a distinct kind by some botanists but at 

 Kew held to be a mere variety of the common 

 species. At its best it is a beautiful plant with 

 flowers of rich deep blue, free from the pale 

 shading of other kinds, the white eye being 

 sharply defined. In habit it is less stout than 



CHIONODOXA SARDENSIS. 



Lucilia? and smaller in flower, but very grace- 

 ful and fine in colour for massing in grass or 

 within nooks of the rock-garden. It flowers 

 during February and March according to as- 

 pect and conditions of soil, the effect of its 

 bright flowers and bronzy foliage being very 

 telling. It is a little slower to increase than 

 some, but fully as hardy, and in some districts 

 the first to flower. It is easily grown indoors 

 for the conservatory but loses strength and 

 colour in heat, and should be kept close against 

 the glass and very cool. Several varieties are 

 grown in gardens, including alba, a good 

 white form, and alba-ma/orwith larger flowers 

 carried in fine spikes ; oculata, a scarce kind 

 in which a deeper ring surrounds the white 

 disk ; while in some cases the flower comes 

 of a uniform deep blue but can hardly be said 

 to gain by the loss of its white eye. The plant 



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