NARTHECIUM OSSIFRAGUM.
ASPHODEL.
LANCASHIRE
N A RTHECIUM ossifràgünt ; raCfemo simplice, pedicello bibracteato, bractea una ad basin altera minuta
ad extremitatëm pedicellorum.
NA R TH EC IUM ossifragum. Huds. Angl. p. 145. IVith. Bot. A rr. ed. 4. vol. 2. p. 333. Smith
Fl. B r it. p. 368. Engl. Bot. t. 535. Pers. Syn. PI. vol. 1. p. 370. JVahl. Fl.
Lapp. p. 78. Hook. Fl. Scot. P . I. p. 103.
A N TH E R ICUM ossifragum. Linn. Sp. PI. ƒ>. 446. (Ed. Fl. Dan. t. 42. L ig h tf. Scot. p. 181.
Hqffm. Germ. cd. 2. vol. 1. P . I. p. 161. JVilld. Sp. PI. vol. 2. p. 147. Alton
Hort. Kew. ed. 2. vol. 2. p. 270.
ABAMA ossifraga. Decand. Fl. Fr. ed. 3. vol. S .p . 171. Fl. Gall. Syn. p. 153.
ASPHODËLÜS Lancastrian Ger. Em. p. 95.
PHA LA N G IUM Anglicum palustre Iridis folio. Lancashire Asphodel or Bastard Asphodel. Bail
S yn .p . 375.
Dan. Beenbrud. Dut. Beenbreekend Antherium. Fr. L e Brise-os. Germ. Das Beinbrechgras.
It. et Span. Anterico ossifrago. Norw. Sturgrces. Swed. Hagrafet. "Welsh. L la fn y bladur.
Class a n d O rd er. H EX A N D R IA MONOGYNIA.
[N atural Ord e r . JU N C E iE , Decand., Brown, Hook.}
Ge n . Ch a r . Perianthium profunde sexpartitum, coloratum, persistens. Filamenta subulata, hirsuta. Capsula
supera, sub-trilocularis, semi-trivalvis. Semina scrobiculata, utrinque insigniter attenuata.
Ge n . Ch a r . Perianth deeply sexpartite, petaloid, persistent. Filaments subulate, hairy. Capsule superior,
nearly three-celled, for half its length divided into three valves. Seeds scrobiculate, remarkably attenuated at
each extremity.
Radix perennis, subrepens, albida, fibrosa, fibris sim-
plicibus basi nigro-tomentosis.
Caulis spithamæus et ultra, basi subdecumbeüs, dein
érectus, teres, parum foliosus.
Folia radicalia tri- vel quadri-pollicaria, lineari-en-
siformia, equitantia, striata, acuta; caulina latiora,
breviora, obtusa, complicato-carinata, inferiora
imbricata, reliqua remota, superne sensim minora.
Flores flavo-aurei, in racemum laxum terminalem dis-
positi.
Pedicelli floribus longiores, erecti, alterni, bracteati,
bracteis parvis lanceolatis, viridibus, una ad basin
pedicellorum, altera et minore ad extremitatem
sub perianthio.
Perianthium simplex, profunde sexpartitum, foliolis
lineari-oblongis, concavis, patentibus, extus liuea
viridi notatis, glabris.
Stamina sex, perianthii longitudine, erecto-patentia :
Filamenta subulata, flava, pulcberrime hirsuta,
pilis horizontalibus, flavis : Anthera oblbnga, au-
rantiaca, bilocularis.
PlSTiLLUM superum, staminibus brevius, ovato-acumi-
natum : Germen ovatum, sulcis sex, longitudina-
libus, flavo-viridibus, trilocularibus : Stylus bre-
viusculus: Stigma acutiusculum.
Pericarpium: Capsula oblongo-acuminata, rufo-fus-
ca, perianthio persistente concolori cincta, trilo-
cularis, semi-trivalvis, valvis medio septiferis.
Receptaculum ad basin cujusque dissepimenti, inCras-
satum, spongiosum.
Semina parva, oblonga, erecta, scrobiformia, utrinque
insigniter longissimeque attenuata, subulata, pel-
Root perennial, inclined to creeping, whitish, fibrous, the
fibres simple, furnished at their base with black
down.
Flower-stalk a span and more in height, rather decumbent
at the base, afterwards erect, cylindrical,
a little leafy.
Radical-leaves three to four inches long, between
linear and ensiform, equitant, striated, acute;
those of the stem broader, shorter, obtuse, com-
plicato-carinated, the lower ones imbricated, the
rest remote, gradually smaller upwards.
Flowers golden yellow, disposed in a terminal lax raceme.
Pedicels longer than the flowers, erect, alternate, brac-
teated, with the bracteas lanceolate, green, one
at the base of the pedicels, and another smaller
one at the extremity beneath the perianth.
Perianth simple, deeply six-cleft, with the leaflets linear
oblong, concave, patent, externally marked
with a green line, and glabrous.
Stamens six, as long as the perianth, erecto-patent;
Filaments subulate, yellow, beautifully hairy,
with the hairs standing out horizontally, yellow :
Anther oblong, orange-coloured, two-celled.
Pistil superior, shorter than the stamens, ovato-acumi*
n a te : Germen ovate, with six longitudinal furrows,
yellow green, three-celled : Style shortish:
Stigma rather acute.
Pericarp: Capsuleoblongo-acuminate, reddish brown,
surrounded by the persistent perianth of the same
colour, three-celled, half-three-valved, with the
valves bearing dissepiments in the middle.
Receptacle at the base of each dissepiment, thick,
spongy.
Seeds small, oblong, erect, scrobiform, at each extremity
very much and remarkably attenuated, subulate,
pellucid.
Fig. 1. Flower with its pedicel and bractea. Fig. 2. Stamen. Fig. 3. Pistil. Fig. 4. The same cut through
transversely to show the dissepiments, which do not quite form perfect cells. Fig. 5. Capsule, not. size. Fig. 6.
The same bursting open. Fig. 7. One of the valves showing the insertion of the seeds upon the receptacle.
Fig. 8., Single seed.—all but fig . 5. more or less magnified.
This genus, which has been rightly separated from the Anthericum of Linnteus, consists only of two species;
the one of which is peculiar to Europe, the other, Narthecium Americanum, to the New World. With the latter
1 am unacquainted, except from the figure in the Botanical Magazine, where it was at first confounded with the
Narthecium (.Anthericum) glutinosum of Michaux, a mistake which was afterwards corrected by a new page of
letterpress. According to the figure and description there given, it differs from the European plant in the narrower
leaves, the usually branched spike or raceme, smaller flowers, stamens with shorter hairs and pubescence,
and pedicels which have two rather large bracteas, the one a t the base, the other below the middle of the flower-
stalk. The anthers too are yellow, not orange-coloured.
Our present species is common in turfy bogs and the wet sides of mountains in many parts of Britain, particularly
in Scotland, where during the months of July and August it much enlivens the dreary scenery by its bright
starry flowers.
The seed-vessel *, even when in the state of germen, is not completely three-celled, since the dissepiments do
not meet in the centre. The seeds themselves are highly curious, remarkably attenuated at each extremity, yet
resembling, in their pellucid integument, those of the Orchidets and Pyrola.
The Lancashire Asphodel was formerly supposed to possess medicinal virtues, and even to have the power of
softening the bones of the animals that eat of it, whence its specific name of ossifragum. But this circumstance, as
Withering observes, wants confirmation. Ray also says in his Historia, upon the authority of Lobel, that the
flowers “ in lixivio macerati ” impart a yellow colour to the hair of the girls who wash themselves with it.
This plant does not appear to be a t all difficult of cultivation; and, as it would be very ornamental from the
abundance in which its flowers are produced, the experiment would be well worth the trial.
* This genus is more nearly allied to that of Juncus than its first aspect would lead us to suppose; and there are some species of the latter genus
which have seeds resembling those of our plant Speaking of the genus Juncus, Mr. Brown says, “ Nec secerncndse esc seminibus scobiformibus, testa
iicmpc, quss in pluribus utrinque laxa, in his valde elongate: inter se enim capsularum structure pariter diverse sunt. Genus autem his characterihoruin
omnium folia aversa plus minus comprcssa, idcoque duplici nota Narthcciis Huds. convcuiunt, et transitum ad Asphodelcas facilem reddunt.’'