SCILLA BIFO'LIA. 
TWO-LEAVED SQUILL. 
Class. Order. 
HEXANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. 
Natural Order. 
ASP HO DELE A5. 
Native of 
Height. 
Flowers in 
Duration. 
Inhabits 
Britain. 
9 inches. 
Mar. April. 
Perennial. 
Woods. 
No. 125. 
Scilla is derived from a Greek word of similar 
formation, and is supposed to have been originally 
applied to our Scilla maritima. Bifolia, from the 
Latin bis, twice ; and folium, a leaf. 
This is an extremely pretty little bulbous-rooted 
native plant. It is one of a numerous family, some 
of which, by cultivation from seed, sport freely into 
varieties. It can hardly escape notice, that bulbs 
more frequently depart from their natural character, 
and run into variety of forms and colours, than do 
the other grand divisions — the tuberous and fibrous- 
rooted plants. This is evident from a view of the 
Hyacinth, Tulip, and Narcissus families. The fa- 
cility with which bulbs fly from their originals, and 
their extended powers of reproduction, are subjects 
worthy attention, and which we shall take an early 
opportunity of noticing. 
The Scilla maritima, or officinal Squill, has been 
long and deservedly esteemed as an expectorant, but 
w e are not aware of our present subject possessing 
any peculiar medicinal virtues. 
The bulbs, being in a dormant state through the 
summer, may then be taken up and transplanted, 
llort. Kew. 2, v. 2, 264. 
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