Scilla Autumnalis. Autumnal Squil. 
SCILLA. Linn.Gen.Pl. Hexandria Monogynia. 
Cor. 6-petala, patens, decidua. Filamenta filiformia. 
Raii Syn. Gen. 2 6 . Herbaj radice bulbosa proditas. 
SCILLA autumnalis foliis filiformibus linearibus, floribus corymbofis, pedunculis nudis adfcendentibus 
longitudine floris. Limi. Syjl. Vegetab . ed. 14. Murr. p. 329. Sp. FI. 443. 
HYACINTHUS ftellaris autumnalis minor. Bauh. Pin. p. 47. et major ejufd. p. 46. 
HYACINTHUS autumnalis major et minor. Cluf. Hijl. 1. p. 185. fig. 1, 2. Magn. Bot. Monfp . p. 134. 
HYACINTHUS autumnalis. Winter Hyacinth.— autumnalis major. Great Winter Hyacinth. Ger. 
Herb. p. 98 .fi 3, 4. emac. 110 .fig. 1 , 2. 
HYACINTHUS autumnalis minor. The lefler Autumn Jacinth. Park. Farad, p. 13 2. 
RADIX bulbus fubrotundus, albidus, tunicatus, fapore 
fubdulci, mucilaginofus, fibrillis albidis. 
FOLIA plurima, radicalia, linearia, fcapo breviora, 
glabra, interne canaliculata, externe con- 
vexa, ftriata, recurva, obtufiufcula. 
SCAPUS fubtriuncialis, ereftus, teres, ftriato-angulofus, 
ad lentem villofus, nudus, inferne ex albo- 
virefcens, fuperne purpurafcens. 
FLORES 5 — 12 racemofi, e purpureo-caerulefcentes. 
PEDUNCULI adfcendentes, longitudine floris, ebrac- 
tseati. 
COROLLA: Petala fex, ovata, quorum tria paulo 
anguftiora, obtufiufcula, apice callofa, e viridi 
fufca, fig. 1. 
STAMINA: Filamenta 6, purpurafcentia, lata, fub- 
ulata; Antheral fubcordatse, magnae, primo 
faturate purpureae, emiflo polline nigricantes, 
te- 2 ' 
PISTILLUM: Germen fubovatum, casrulefcens, li- 
neis fex albidis impreflis notatum; Stylus 
trigonus, trifulcatus, longitudine flaminum ; 
Stigma fimplex, Jig. 3. 
PERICARPIUM: Capsula fubrotunda, trivalvis, val- 
vis ovatis, concavis, diflepimento per medium 
divifis, maturato femine patentibus, fig. 4. 
SEMINA fex, duo fingulam valvam implentia, majuf- 
cula, nigricantia, nitidula, trigona, latere 
exteriore convexo, duobus interioribus planis, 
te- 5 - 
a ROOT a roundifh bulb, of a whitifh colour, coated, of 
a a fweetifh tafte and mucilaginous, the fibres 
6 • whitifh. 
Y LEAVES numerous, from the root, linear, fliorterthan 
¥ the fcapus, fmooth, internally concave, ex- 
a ternally convex and firiated, bent back, fome- 
K what blunt at the points. 
SCAPUS about three inches high, upright, round, be- 
tween fcored and angular, villous if magni- 
V fied, naked, below of a whitifh green colour, 
A above purplifh. 
© FLOWERS from 5 to 12, growing in a racemus, of 
I a blueilh purple colour. 
PEDUNCLES afcending, the length of the flower, 
without a bra£teea. 
COROLLA: fix Petals, ovate, three of which are a 
little narrower than the reft, callous and of a 
greenifh brown colour at the tips, fig. 1. 
STAMINA: fix Filaments, of a purplifh colour, 
broad, tapering, Anther/E fomewhat heart- 
© fhaped, large, at firfi: of a deep purple colour, 
I on fhedding of the pollen blackifh, fig . 2. 
I PISTILLUM: Germen fomewhat ovate, blueifh, 
marked with fix imprefled white lines ; St yle 
three-cornered, three-grooved, the length of 
the flamina; Stigma Ample, fig. 3. 
0 SEED-VESSEL : a roundifh Capsule of three valves, 
the valves ovate, concave, divided by a par- 
¥ tition running through the middle, expanding 
a wide when the feed is ripe, fig. 4. 
A SEEDS fix, two filling each valve, rather large, blackifh, 
© fhining, three-cornered, the outer fide con- 
§ vex, the two inner ones flat, fig. 5. 
Mofl of the old writers who treat of the Scilla autumnalis, defcribe two kinds, a major and eminor; but as 
thefe diftin&ions are founded chiefly on the fize of the plant, and which depends on accidental circumftances, they 
are not deferving of much attention. Gerard was not aware of its being a Britifh native. Parkinson informs 
us, that he found it growing on a bank by the Thames fide-, at the hither end of Chelfea ; and he notices a 
variety of it with white flowers. 
In Mr. Rays Synopfis it is defcribed to grow on Blackheath, on certain parts of which it may ftill be found 
in abundance ; and, in the fame work, it is faid to be found plentifully on St. Vincent s-Rock, near Briftol • 
there alfo it ftill exifts in great profufion, as I am alfured by Dr. Ford, my much valued friend, ’who <rave me 
this autumn many plants which he had gathered there, the bulbs of which were in general much larger 
than thofe which grow about London : it is found alfo near Ditton, on Moulfey-Hurft, over againft Hampton- 
Court, and not many years fince was obferved fparingly on Kew-Green. 
It ufually grows in paftures where the foil is a light and not very fertile loam; in its wild ftate it rarely exceeds 
three inches in height, cultivated it acquires twice its ufual fize, and from one bulb fpring feveral ftems - it begins 
to flower about the third week m Augufl, and continues in bloffom three weeks or a month. In mofl of the wild 
fpecimens the flowering ftalks come up without the leaves, in fome few the leaves accompany them and after 
wards acquiring their full fize, appear above ground the greateft part of the year ; but, bein s fmalland eraflV 
they do not readily lead to a ducovery of the plant. ° ■ ’ 
Such as are defirous of cultivating this little herald of autumn, may raife it from feeds, which it produces in 
plenty and from which Clusius informs us, that he obtained flowering plants the third year: it may be increafed 
alio though flowly by its bulbs which fhould be planted in a light loamy foil, and placed in a diy part of the 
garden ; the belt mode is to p ant the bulbs in a pot of fuitable earth, and plunge them in the border, they will thus 
be fecured from being loll (which, from their fize, they would be apt to be) when the bolder is dug up • the 
lame treatment is applicable to any other (mall hardy bulbs. * “ : 
