May: it is of late introduction, and we believe was first introduced
by Mr. W. Anderson, Curator of the Apothecaries’
Company’s Garden at Chelsea, who received it from Dr.
Fischer. It is delightfully fragrant as well as pretty, and
two or three flowering stems are produced from the same
bulb in succession. It is nearest related to M. botryoides,
but its flowers are more cylindrical, much more expanded
at the mouth, and they are also more crowded together. A
light sandy soil in the open border suits it best, to be planted
from four to six inches deep, according to the size of the
bulbs, which are quite hardy, and are readily increased by
offsets from the roots: they may also be grown in pots,
which can be removed into the house when in flower, for
the sake of their fragrance, but the flowers will not be so fine
in pots, as those in the open ground.
Our drawing was made from plants at the Chelsea Botanic
Garden this Spring.
M u s c a r i of Tournefort is a name derived from the Latin,
and signifies, the top of a herb, wherein the seed lieth : it
is also used for a fly-flap, to kill or drive away flies, the
head of flowers on the simple stem not being very unlike
something of that kind.
1. Perianthium spread open, to show the insertion o f the Stamens. 2. One
o f the Stamens detached. 3. Pedicle , showing the small scale-like bractes at
its base, the ovarium seated on it divested o f the perianthium, and terminated
by the Style and simple blunt Stigma.
n C
i l
jAAj
I