( H ) 
PETALA FLORUM. 
E ach Flower is made up of fix Petala or Flower Leaves, and 
from thence it is, that our Lilly comes to belong to the 
Clallis of Plants, fiore Liliaceo Hexapelalo. 
Thefe Petala begin by a kind of narrow fliort Neck, called com- 
monly Unguis^ from a whitifh, foft, juicy Subftance, which lies 
immediately upon the J^afculum feminaley and from whence the 
Stamina do likewife arife. 
This middle Subftance has been but very indiftin£ily taken notice 
of by Botanical Writers, before ^ontedera, and by him, on ac- 
count of the ufc he afligns to it, of which anon, it is termed Re- 
ce^taculum. 
The upper and inner Part of it has been by other Authors term* 
cd fometimes Floris Umbilicus ; and that part of it, through which 
the Stylus pafles. Centrum Umbilici. And in this Plant, regard be- 
ing had as well to its apparent Ufe, as to its Figure, and Situati- 
on, it cannot be more properly exprefs'd, than by calling it, Bafis 
Jive Umbilicus floris. 
Three of the Petala run in a ftreight Line with the Angles of the 
Seed Veflel, and arife a little lower and further out than the others, 
which are oppofitc to the flat Sides of it. 
A full blown Petalum is one Inch three quarters long, but when the 
Flowers begins to open, and juft fhow the Apices coming out, it is 
only one Inch and three eighths. 
The greateft part of it is of an equal Breadth, viz. three eighth 
parts of an Inch, but it terminates at laft in a Point, beginning to 
grow narrow about half an Inch before it ends. 
The furface of both fides of the Flower Leaves is exactly fmooth 
and even, without the leaft Roughnefs. On the greateft part of 
the upper Side, there is a kind of Sulcus or Hollownefs, and on the 
Backfide a fmooth Ridge, formed by the Cofta or Rib that runs 
through it lengthwife. 
They run ftreight for fome fpacc, and afterwards the Point turns 
gradually, firft back, then inwards and upwards, not unlike the 
Mountain or Martagon Lilly, but without making near fo full a 
Circle. 
The 
