AMARYLLIDACE^E. 
135 
I cannot find that we had any knowledge of the precise 
natural habitation of this splendid flower ; but Mr. Bateman 
has just communicated to me bulbs collected by Mr. Skinner 
in Guatimala, which prove to be this plant. 
The bulbs are perfectly hardy and appear to like a low 
temperature, but they will not flower willingly unless they 
have a season of drought. They succeed well against the 
wall of a stove in the open ground, flowering in the spring 
and sometimes again in the autumn, if the summer has been 
very dry. They rarely blossom if watered through the 
winter in a greenhouse, but if kept dry and warm for a few 
months, they will flower as soon as they are watered in the 
spring. I have twice known this plant produce a two- 
flowered scape accidentally, but it is usually one-flowered. 
No instance has come to my knowledge of its bearing seed in 
this country. Its ovules are longer than those of Hippeastrum, 
and the particles of its pollen longer, blunter, and often 
bent. See plate 34. fig. 32. The pollen is very abundant 
and perfect, but its semination seems to depend upon some 
very nice adaptation of temperature and moisture. Num- 
berless unsuccessful attempts have been made to cross it with 
other genera, especially Hippeastrum and Zephyranthes. It 
likes a fertile soil, and the bulbs may be advantageously 
planted out in spring, and taken up and dried on the 
approach of winter. 
32. Hippeastrum. — Perianth declined, tubed ; tube abbre- 
viated underneath ; faucial membrane, when mani- 
fested, defective on the lower side (not annular as in 
Habranthus), the upper sepal wider, the lower petal 
narrower; filaments declined, recurved, inserted in 
the tube with gradations, the upper sepaline longer 
and inserted higher, the lower petaline shorter and 
inserted lower; style declined, recurved ; stigma 
trifid or triangular. 
Calyptratce. — Tube screened. 
1. Aulicum. — Am. aulica. Bot. Reg. 6. 444. Flowers 
two, crimson, with a green fleshy screen at the 
mouth of the tube; sepals narrower than the petals ; 
lowest petal outstretched, embracing the filaments. 
Var. 2. Platypetalum. — Am. aulica var. Bot. Reg. 12. 
