pendulous, unilateral, sweet-scented flowers, each nearly an inch 
long, of a blue or violet colour, sometimes white, more rarely flesh- 
coloured. Bracteas coloured, two to each flower, spear-shaped, 
tapering, unequal, nearly upright, and longer than the partial stalks. 
Corolla tubular, nearly cylindrical, 6-parted to the very base, the 
tips of the segments turned back (reflexed). Stamens 6, their fila- 
ments adhering to the segments of the corolla half way up. 
Anthers incumbent (turned inwards), somewhat arrow-shaped. 
Germcn egg-shaped, angular, without honey-bearing pores. Style 
about the same length, deciduous, except the very base. Stigma 
blunt, valves of the capsule (fig. 3.) egg-shaped, pointed. Seeds 
numerous, roundish, of a blue colour, with a polished surface. 
The white flowered variety is frequently met with, the flesh- 
coloured one is more rare ; I have observed them both on Shotover 
Hill, near Oxford. — The roots, when fresh, are poisonous. They 
may be converted into starch ; and I am informed, that the j uice is 
sometimes added to gum-water to give it strength. 
Phalcena Plantaginis lives upon this plant ; and Pucc'tnia Scil- 
larum, Grev. MSS. (see my Stirp. Crypt. Oxon. fasc. 1 . n. 40.) is para- 
sitical on the leaves of it in the vicinity of Oxford. This Puccmia is 
a new species, and was first observed by myself on the leaves of 
.Scilla Campanulata, in the Oxford Botanic Garden, in May, 1823. 
The English Hyacinth is a graceful and ornamental plant, and is, on 
that account, often admitted into gardens ; but the many beautiful 
varieties of Hyacinths so much prized by the florist, are derived 
from Hyac'mthus Oricntdlis, a native of the Levant, and which is 
said to be very abundant about Aleppo and Bagdad. 
“ There appears to be considerable doubt, to which plant the popular name 
of Hare-bell properly belongs ; it has usually been given by Botanists to the Wild 
Hyacinth, but the descriptions of the Poets apply much better to the Campa- 
nula. Dr. Johnson, in his Dictionary, describes the Hare-bell as ‘ A blue 
flower campaniform,’ and cites Shakspeaiie, Cymbeline, Act iv. Scene2. 
‘ Thou shalt not lack 
‘ The flow’r that’s like thy face, pale primrose ; nor 
‘ The azur'd hare-bell like thy veins.’ 
“ Scott also describes it as slight and clastic : 
‘ A foot more light, a step more true, 
‘ Ne’er from the heath-flower dashed the dew ; 
• E’en the slight hare-bell raised its head, 
‘ Elastic from her airy tread.’ — Lady of the Lake, Canto i. 
“ Again, ‘ Forme, — she stoop’d and, looking round, 
‘ Pluck’d a blue hare-bell from the ground, 
‘ For me, where memory scarce conveys 
' An image of more splendid days, 
‘ This little flower, that loves the lea, 
* May well my simple emblem be ; 
‘ It drinks heaven’s dew as blithe as rose 
‘ That in the King’s own garden grows.’ ” — 
•Canto n. 
