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E R Y T H R O N IUM D en s canis.
Oval-leaved Dog’s-tooth Violet.
Linnean Class and Order. H E X A N D R IA M O N O G Y N IA .
Natural Order. l ìC lA V A C Y M . K th . sy rw p s .l. p .2 9 2 .
E R Y T H R ONLUM. Perianthium C-phyllum, petaloideum, turbinato-
campanulatum, cernuum : foliolis a medio reflexis ; tribus interioribus basi
squamosis. Stamina 6, basi foliolorum inserta. Antheræ basi insertæ.
Stylus sulcato-trigonus. Stigma nunc triangulare, nunc lamellis 3 canaliculatis,
patentibus. Ovarium trigonum, erectum ; valvis 3 placentiferis.
Semina numerosa, ovata.
E . Dens canis, bulbis numerosis fasciculatis, foliis lato-ovatis abrupte
acutis basi rotundatis trinerviis venosis, perianthii foliolis lanceolatis
acutis patulis, ovarium obovatum profunde trisulcatum, stigmate trifi-
do ; laciniis supra canaliculatis simplicibus.
Erythronium Dens canis. Linn. spec. 2. p . 437. M ill. diet. n. l . Jacq.aust.
t. 9. Redoute Liliac. t. 194. Schult. syst. veg. 7. p . 372. exclus. syn.
Bo t. mag. Sw t. hort. brit. ed. 2. p . 597.
Bulbs numerous, growing in a crowded fascicle; a little
thicker than a goose quill, from half an inch, to an inch in
length, thickest at the base and tapering upwards, always
surrounded by numerous offsets. Leaves on slender footstalks,
about three inches long, and two and a half broad,
broadly ovate, terminated abruptly in a short point, and
rounded at the base, three-nerved from the base, and veined
with innumerable small veins, covered on both sides with
minute sparkling scales, which can only be detected by
means of a lens, of a pale green, elegantly variegated with
a light purplish brown. Petioles long and slender, smooth
and glossy, of a pale pink colour, channelled on the upper
side, and convex below, widened a little, close to the leaf.
Scape ox flower-stem erect, slender, bent round at the point
by the nodding flower, smooth and glossy, slightly tinged
with pale red. Flower terminal, nodding, about half the size
of E. longifolium of Miller, of a purple lilac. Ferianthium
of 6 petal-like leaflets, turbinately campanulate, spreading
flatly open when expanded, scarcely reflexed: leaflets lanceolate,
acute, attenuated a little towards the base, about
half the size of E. longifolium, of a purple lilac, pale yellow
towards the base, spotted about the middle with innumerable
crowded, brownish purple dots, which gives the appearance
of a brown patch, if not closely examined: outer