BRODI^A GRANDIFLORA. 
(Large-flowering Brodisea.) 
Class. 
TRIANDRIA. 
Gkneric Character. — Perianth complanate, six- 
left, persistent ; with three scales at the throat, oppo- 
ite the exterior segments, sometimes anther- bearing. 
cales three, fleshy, hypogynous. Stamens three, in- 
erted in the throat, alternate with the scales. Anthers 
ivo-lohed at base. Style continuous, with the ovai'y 
wl-shaped. three-lohed. clothed, with 
tie perianth, obovate, pedicellate, three-celled; cells 
hree-valved. Seeds four or five in a cell, black, obovate, 
triated,peltate; festo membranous. Chalaza depressed. 
Order. 
MONOGYNIA. 
Specific Character — Root small, bulbous. Leaves 
radical, spreading, linear, acuminate, channelled. 
Scape erect, terete, slender, about afoot high. Flowers 
umbellate, corymbose, pedunculate ; scales short, few, 
scarious. Peduncles usually in six or seven pairs. 
Perianth a delicate blue ; tube six-streaked ; limb 
spreading, longer ; segments oblong-linear, somewhat 
obtuse, the outer ones narrower. Scales ligulate. 
SvNONYME. — HooJceria corondria. 
Natural Order. 
LILIACE^. 
To many of our readers we have no doubt that the present is a very familiar 
)lant : nevertheless, it is one of many of its class that we could point to, which 
eceive much less attention than their merits deserve, and which are perhaps less 
avoured, because they are suffered to blossom singly, instead of in extensive and 
ather dense masses. An individual plant of Brodicpa grandiflora would certainly 
lave a somewhat meagre appearance on a lawn, with its narrow, scarce leaves and 
ong flower-stems ; but plant a number of bulbs closely in a bed, and they will form 
n their flowering time (July and August) a sheet of the most delicate blue. 
llLnother plant adapted for the same kind of treatment, and not much unlike the 
iresent in general appearance, is the Triteleia Idxa., a very beautiful bulb, but not 
10 easily procured as our subject. The appearance of the species might also be 
mproved by planting some small, quick-growing creeper in the same bed, to cover 
;he soil with green foliage. 
Bulbous plants of this description are admirable subjects for ornamenting the 
)pen patches amongst rockwork. These places might easily be rendered more gay 
svith such flowers, and without, as we conceive, any offence to taste, if only 
udiciously and not too lavishly disposed. 
The B. grandiflora appears to have been first introduced about the close of the 
|iast century ; but perhaps the greater portion of the plants now in the country 
liave proceeded from later importations. It was detected by Mr. Douglas during 
liis botanical travels in North-West America, and transmitted to the Horticultural 
