194 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The Leaf Chaeactees. 



When we examine the leaves of all the so-called species of 

 Snowdrops we find them clearly referable to three types, viz. : 

 1, the strap-shaped glaucous leaf of the common Snowdrop and 

 its allies ; 2, the much broader plicate or enfolded leaf of 



1. 



S. 



5. 



A 



1 



i 





y 



€r. nivalis G.ylicatus 



G. latifolius 



G. plicatus, readily known by its re- duplicate marginal area. 

 Then 3, we have the broadly lorate shining green leaves, such 

 as those of G. latifolius and G. Fosteri (fig. 24). 



When once these types of leafage are recognised and under- 

 stood the specific identification of any known Snowdrop becomes 

 an easy matter. As thus tabulated one may see at a glance 

 how important the leaf characters are in the study of Snowdrops. 



1 



2 



3 



Narrow glaucous leaf 



Broad plaited glaucescent leaf 



Broad lorate green leaf 



G. nivalis 



G. plicatus 



G. latifolius 



,, ,, Imperati 





G. Fosteri 



„ ,, caucasicus 







G. Elwesii 







*G. graecus(?) 







*G. 01gffi(?) 







* These are doubtful species not in cultivation (?). 



Guided in some measure by the leaf characters, which are far 



