﻿( 124 .) 



ORNITHOGALUM* *. 



Linnean Class and Order. Hexa'ndria f, Moxogy^xia. 



Natural Order. AsphodeAe^eJ, Dr. R. Brown. — Lind. Syn. 

 p. 266; Introd. to Nat. Syst. of Bot. p. 273. — Loud. Hort. Brit. p. 

 539 . — Aspho'deli, Juss. Gen. PI. p. 51. — Sm. Gram, of Bot. 

 p. 74 . — Lilia'cea:, Rich, by Macgilliv. p. 403 . — Lilia'les ; sect. 

 Lilia'cina: ; type, Asphodela'cete ; subtype, Scillida: ; Burn. 

 Outl. of Bot. pp. 418, 425, 427, & 428. 



Gen. Char. Calyx none. Corolla ( Perianthium§J inferior, 

 of 6 spear-shaped, permanent petals (tig. 1.), somewhat thickened 

 at the keel, approaching below, spreading above, withering upon 

 the stalk. Filaments (fig. 2.) 6, upright, alternately larger or di- 

 lated at the base (see figs. 3 & 4.), attached to the base of the 

 petals. Anthers terminal, versatile, shortened after the pollen is 

 shed. Germen (fig. 5.) superior, angular, with intermediate fur- 

 rows. Style (see fig. 5.) awl-shaped, upright, permanent. Stigma 

 blunt. Capsule roundish, with 3 prominent angles, and 3 inter- 

 mediate furrows, 3 cells, and 3 valves with central partitions. Seeds 

 several, roundish. 



Distinguished from Gdgea, t. 41, by the stamens being dilated 

 at the base, and by the stigma being blunt and not gaping ; and, 

 from all other genera, with a naked inferior corolla in the same 

 class and order, by the 6 spear-shaped, permanent petals, and the 

 filaments dilated at the base. 



Three species British. 



ORNITHO'GALUM UMBELLA'TUM. Common Star of Beth- 

 lehem. 



Spec. Char. Flowers in a corymb ; outer fruit-stalks taller 

 than the central ones. Filaments dilated, tapering, entire. 



Eng. Bot. 1. 130. — Hook. FI. Lond. t. 45. — Linn. Sp. PI. p. 441. — Huds. FI. 

 Angl. (2nd ed.) p. 143. — Sm. FI. Brit. v. i. p.364. Engl. FI. v. ii. p. 143. — 

 With. (7th ed. ) v. ii. p. 427. — Grav’s Natur. Arr. v. ii. p. 179 — Lindl. Syn. p. 

 269.— Hook. Brit. FI. p. 155.— Sibth. FI. Oxon.p. 111.— Abb. FI. Bedf. p.76— 

 Purt. Midi. FI. v. i. p. 173. — Kelh. FI. Cantab. (3rd ed.) p. 139.— Hook. FI. 

 Scot. p. 102. — FI. Devon, pp. 58 & 129. — Curt. Brit. Entomol. vol. x. t. 470. — 

 Walk. FI. of Oxf. p.93. — Perry’s Pi. Varv. Select*, p. 30. — Bab. FI. Bath. p. 

 51. — Ornithogalum vulgare et varius, majus et minus, Ray’s Syn. p. 372. — 

 Ornithogalum, Johnson’s Gerarde, p. 165. 



Localities. — In meadows, pastures, and copses, in various parts of England, 

 but not common. — Oxfordsh. Near Barton; and in Christ Church Meadow: 

 Dr.SiBTHORP, 1794. in Christ Church Meadow. 1829, Rev. Dr. Bridges, 

 President of Corpus Christi College. In a copse between Sandford Toll-gate 

 and an ancient farm house, in considerable abundance : April 2, 1831 , VV. B. — 

 Bedfordsh. Everton Heath : Rev.C. Abbot. — Bucks ; Hedges between Datchet 

 and Eton in abundance: and sparingly in the meadows near Eton: Mr. Goto- 

 bed. — Cambridgesh. Fulbourn: Rev. R. Rklhan. — Cheshire ; Meadows near 

 Cheadle Bridge, 3 miles from Stockport: Mr. G. Holme. — Cornwall; Near 

 Marazion : Rev. W. T. Buee, in Loud. M. N. H. v. iv. p. 161. — Cumberland ; 



Fig. 1. A Petal. — Fig. 2. The 6 Stamens, Germen, and Pistil. — Figs. 3 & 4. 

 Separate Stamens. — Fig. 5. Germen and Pistil. 



* From ornis, ornithos, Gr. a bird ; and gala, Gr. milk. Dr. Hooker. 

 t See Galanthus nivalis, folio 33, note f. f See folio 41, a. 



§ See Galanthus nivalis, folio 33, note (. 



