HISTORICAL NOTES ON DUTCH HYACINTHS. 



51 



the finest were imported from the Oriental countries, being far 

 finer than those from England ; and when he later mentions as 

 a curiosity, that under some circumstances they even flower in 

 winter, then, I think, there can be no further doubt about their 

 identity. 



Besides the Brumalis forms, Matthias de Lobel describes the 

 following different forms of Hyacinths, viz. Hyacinthus orient, 

 grcecus, H. purpureas rubens, H. major polyanthus, H. Zumbel 

 Indi, H. Constantinopolitani, H. prcecox dilutiori. These you 

 will find in the engravings of Swertius's " Florilegium " of the 

 year 1612; and of those of Besler's " Hortus Eystettensis " of 

 1613. They prove the difference between the varieties, and 

 show you that they had already a good many forms of Hyacinths 

 even in those days. The question is, Whence came they ? It is 

 not impossible that they were introduced in different forms and 

 colours from their native country. I prefer, however, to believe 

 that the different colours and forms were the result of natural 

 crossing in Europe. At that time botanists were unacquainted 

 with the distinguishing peculiarity of plants, and crossing was 

 only possible by accident. This may have taken place just as 

 well in the wild as in the cultivated state ; it is more probable, 

 however, that they were natural crosses, obtained under cultiva- 

 tion in some garden or other. 



If we consult Lauremberg's "Apparatus Plantarius " (1631), we 

 find he only speaks of one species, viz. Hyacinthus orientalis. 

 He describes, however, several different Hyacinthus, amongst 

 which he mentions one as prcecox pleniflorus ccer ulcus, another 

 as pleniflorus candidus, and a third as prcecox prolifer duplo- 

 florc albo virescens. These three we may safely take as varieties 

 or forms of the species already mentioned. 



It is strange that Camerius, in his edition of Matthiolus of 

 the year 1611, makes not the slightest mention of double 

 Hyacinths, while Clusius speaks about the same time of 

 Hyacinthus orientalis flore duplici as having a large and strong 

 bulb with fifteen double blue flowers. This most likely is the 

 same plant figured by Besler as Hyacinthus orientalis flore 

 niveo. 



My conclusion is that all the Hyacinths described about that 

 time were nothing but varieties of the original mother species 

 Hyacinthus orientalis. This mother species may have been 



