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ISMENE AMANCAES. 
(narcissus-flowered ismene.) 
CLASS. ORDER, 
HEXANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. 
NATURAL ORDER. 
AMARYLLIDE^. 
Generic Character. — Corolla fimnel-sliaped, with a long tube; limb six-parted. Nectary twelve- 
parted, membraneous. Stamens inserted on the edge of the nectary. 
Specific Charscter Plant a bulbous perennial, growing upwards of two feet high. Bulh egg-shaped. 
Leaves three or more, of a bright green colour. Scape from two to three feet high, compressed, two- 
edged. Spathe tapering to a sharp point (cuspidate). Flowers from three to six, of a deep 
yellow colour, in length about six inches, occasionally sessile, and sometimes pedunculated. Tube 
upright, three-cornered, green, fleshy ; limb nodding, six-parted ; segments lioear-lanceolate, sharp- 
pointed. Crown a little shorter than the limb, twelve-parted, every alternate one narrower, the six 
broadest bearing the stamens, which are abruptly bent inwards, every stamen marked with a green 
streak at the base. Filaments rather higher than the parts on which they stand, short. Anthers 
incumbent. Germen green, three-cornered. Style filiform, three-cornered, something thicker than 
the filaments. Stigmas three, very short. 
Synonyme. — Pancratium Amancaes. — Bot. Reg. 600. Bot. Mag. 1224. 
This rare and beautiful speeies was imported from the Brazils by Messrs. 
Middlemist and Wood in 1808, and was afterwards figured in the Bot. Reg., and 
Bot. Mag'., under the above synonyme. 
It is a native of Peru, said to be found in abundance on the hills called 
Amancaes or Hamanchaes, in the neighbourhood of Lima. Along with Begonia 
tuberosa, the beautiful and delightfully fragrant blossoms are said to be used by the 
South American females as an ornament for their hair. The plant grows about two 
feet high, and produces its rich yellow blossoms about June and July ; from a fine 
plant, in the possession of the Messrs. Rollison and Sons, our drawing was made 
about June last. 
The genus was named Ismene, by the Hon. and Rev. Wm. Herbert, from Ismene, 
a daughter of CEdipus. 
