206 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ September, 
as for spring work. Some gardeners have spoken favourably of it when 
supplied with plenty of water for summer bedding, but it is very important 
that we should secure for that purpose plants that will thrive with as little 
artificial watering as possible. It may be that in proportion as we use 
spring-flowering plants for early decoration, we shall care less to obtain 
masses of brilliant colours under the rays of a tropical sun. 
Old Shirley. Alexander Dean. 
EARLY SPRING-BLOOMING SCILLAS. 
* CILLAS are such sparkling gems amongst early-flowering spring 
plants, that now, as planting time approaches, we gladly transcribe 
f from an article recently published in the Gardeners' Chronicle, the 
following particulars respecting them. Some time since a question 
arose as to the correct names of these beautiful little vernal jewels, 
and with a view to clear up the matter, living specimens from various 
gardens, as well as the dried specimens in the Kew herbarium, and the 
published figures and descriptions of various authors, were examined by 
our friend and colleague Dr. Masters, with the following result:— 
1. Scilla bifolia, Linn. ( Bot. Mag. t. 746).—Bulb ovoid; leaves 2—3, spreading, 
recurved, linear lance-shaped, channelled, terminating in a short blunt cylindrical point; scape 
as long or longer than the leaves ; bracts minute; pedicels spreading, the lower longer than 
the upper; flowers 5—6, blue ; segments oblong, obtuse, spreading.—This we take to be the 
type, the nearest to the wild form, intended by Linnaeus. There are in gardens several 
varieties of it, differing in the size and colour of their flowers, in the period of their blooming, 
&c., and it is a matter of opinion whether or no these are varieties or species. We consider 
them as varieties of one species, for three reasons—first, that they all have certain characters 
in common, available for specific distinction, and among them we may mention, as easily 
appreciable by the gardener, the blunt cylindrical point to the leaf. We take first that 
variety which expands the earliest, and to which, therefore, the name praecox is well applied. 
Scilla bifolia var. preecox. (S. praecox, Willd. ; Sioeet, Brit. FI. Gard.2 ser., tab. 141).— 
This differs from the type in its earlier expansion, and in its larger flowers, of a deeper blue 
colour, the lower flower-stalks becoming after a time so much lengthened as to form a flat- 
topped inflorescence. The plant is not very common in gardens, but is sometimes grown 
under the name of S. bifolia major. There is a white form of it. 
Scilla bifolia var. carnea, Kunth (Bot. Blag. t. 746).—This resembles the type in all 
respects, save that its flowers are of a pale flesh-coloured tint. It seems to be the Hyacinthus 
stellatus flore rubente of Parkinson, who thus speaks of it:—“The difference in this from the 
former (bifolia) is onely in the flowers, which are of a faire blush colour, much more eminent 
then in the others, in all things else alike.” 
Scilla bifolia var. rosea (S. rosea, Lehmann ; ? S. bifolia taurica, Begel, Gartevfl. 1860, 
tab. 307).—This differs from the preceding in the larger size of the flowers, and in the more 
globose form of the bulb, and may be the plant spoken of by Parkinson as “ Hyacinthus stellatus 
praecox flore suave rubente, the early blush-coloured starry Jacinth,” which, he continued, 
“ is very rare, but very pleasant, his flowers being as large as the first (praecox), and some¬ 
what larger than the blu-h of the other kind (bifolia carnea).” We believe taurica is the same 
plant with blue flowers. 
Scilla bifolia var. alba, Kunth.—Differs from the type only in its white flowers. Farkinson 
says of this :—“ The buddes for flowers at the first appeare a little blmh, which when they 
are blowne are w r hite, but yet retaine in them a small shew of that blush colour.” He goes 
on to say:—“We have another whose flowers are pure white, and smaller than the other, 
the leaves thereof are of a pale fresh greene, and somewhat narrower.” This latter is the 
commoner variation of the two. 
Scilla bifolia var. Candida. —We propose this name for a pure white-flowered variety, 
the flowers of which are as large as those of S. bifolia praecox, or of the var. rosea, of which 
