270 
and partially decomposed leaves and spathas of preceding years. In a groove (b) 
on one side of this bulb, at a point a little above the life-knot, or part from which 
the true roots depend, and connected with it by a bundle of horizontal fibres (c J, 
is attached a smaller bulb (d), which, during the summer months, absorbs its 
chief nourishment from the parent bulb, gradually swelling and enlarging, and, so 
soon as the first chilly winds of autumn have breathed over the earth, elongating 
its summit, and protruding through the soil a long tubular spatha or sheath (e), 
which envelopes the entire bulb, stem, and roots. In this sheath lie two or more 
perfectly formed flowers, each consisting of an elongated tube crowned with a 
purple limb of six petals, and also the rudiments of one or two other blossoms. 
On removing the membranous sheath, we perceive at the base of the floral tube, 
immediately above the young roots, a few rudimentary leaves (f) closely encir¬ 
cling the slightly swollen bulb. On stripping off these leaves, a small bud or 
germ (gJ, destined to become the bulb of a succeeding year, appears attached to 
that side of the young bulb wdiich is farthest from the parent bulb of the present 
year. On entirely removing the leaves, and opening the elongated tube of the 
flower, we discover that to the three inner divisions of its perianth are attached 
six stamens fk) surrounding three linear stigmas (i), whose filaments are con¬ 
tinued down the floral tube to its base, where they communicate with a three-celled 
germen or ovary (h) containing the ovules or undeveloped seeds. No sooner 
have the anthers performed their office of fertilization on the stigmas than the 
corolla fades, withers, and dies off; the young bulb becomes swollen, its roots burst 
through their membranous covering, and protrude downwards. Throughout the 
winter it absorbs, through the lateral attaching fibres, the greater portion of the 
parent bulb, the surplus of which subsequently decomposes. The nutriment thus 
stored up remains dormant during the winter months, and until the first warming 
breezes of spring again stimulate into motion the vital juices, when the hitherto 
buried germen, protected from frost or accident by its several coats, is pushed 
upwards to the surface, the fully developed capsule (l), surrounded by shining 
green leaves, displays itself, and, on becoming fully matured, opens its inflated 
cells (m), scattering the seeds over the earth. The leaves also, in their turn, 
ed from the parent bulb— e, exterior and interior views of the young plant, divested of 
the spatha, and showing the undeveloped leaves— f, exterior and interior views of the 
young plant, showing the floral tubes, the reserve blossom, and the embryonic germ— g, 
the floral tube opened, showing the positions of the anthers, pistils, &c_ h, the pistils di¬ 
vested from the floral tubes, exhibiting their connections with germen and bulb—i, the 
appearance of the plant in the spring. 
a , the cormus, or solid bulb— b , the groove in which the young plant lies—c, the bundle 
of lateral attaching fibres — d, the young bulb — e , the spatha—/, the young leaves— g, the 
embryonic bulb — h, the germen — i, the stigmas — k, the anthers —/, the developed germen 
— m, the fully ripened capsule— n, the reserve blossom — o, transverse section of the ger¬ 
men, h. 
