366 



11. LEUCOIUM VERNUM. 



[CL. TI. 



CLASS VI. 

 11. 



0 



Leucoium vernum, L. 



Grosses Schneeglockcheii, Sommerthierchen, Frucklings-Kno- 

 tenblume, Marzglockchen. — French, Perce-neige, Niveole 

 printanniere. — Engl. Great Snow-drop. — Ital. Primestro^ 

 fior marzc0uolo. — Swed. Varhviter. 



This lovely flower appears in April among bushes, and on 

 the pastures. From a white bulb of the size of a walnut, 

 there first spring several lanceolate leaves, quite ejitire, ob- 

 tuse, smooth on both sides, having the upper surface shin- 

 ing, about the length of a finger, and nearly an inch broad. 

 In the middle of these arises an even divided stalk, about a 

 small span in length, at the top of which there stands a two- 

 lobed calyx, of a whitish green colour, and streaked. From 

 this arises a round flower-stalk, nodding or bent downwards, 

 smooth, about an inch long, which supports, over the obtuse 

 three-cornered, smooth, streaked, green germen, six-leaved, 

 bell-shaped, downward-hanging corolla, the divisions of which 

 are callous at the points, and marked by a small green spot. 

 The exterior integument of the corolla is of the nature of 

 a calyx, and has slits, (90. 312.) On the receptacle stand 

 six short white filaments, which carry on their summits yel- 

 low, long, bilocular antherse, containing an oval pollen. In 

 the middle of the filaments stands the club-shaped green pis- 

 til, with a stigma somewhat tapering. The thick part of it 

 secretes the nectar, (SprengePs entd. Geheimniss, vid. 182.) 

 The fruit is a capsule of three loculi, the round seeds of 

 which contain the unevolved embryon opposite to the um- 

 bilicus in the albuminous substance. The strophiolus con- 

 tinues as a withered, folded membrane. 



