TOFIELDIA PALUSTRIS. SCOTTISH ASPHODEL.
TO F IE LD IA palustris ; capitule ovato, caule glabro filiformi aphyllo, petalis obovatis obtusis, ger-
mine oblongo trilobo.
TO F IE LD IA palustris. Huds. Angl. p. 157. Smith FI. B rit. p. 397. Engl. Bot. t. 536. With.
Bot. A r r . ed. 4. ml. 2 . p. 351. Smith in Linn. Trans, ml. 12. o. 239. Pers. Syn. PI.
ml. 1. p . 399- Alton H ort. Kew. ml. 2. p . 324.
TO F IE L D IA borealis. Wahl. FI. Lapp. p . 89.
A N TH E R ICUM caliculatum. Linn. Sp. P I. p . 447. Fl. Lapp. ed. Smith, p. 106. t. 10. f . 3. L ig h tf.
Scot. p. 181. t. 8.ƒ . 2. Oed. Fl. Dan. t. 36. “
H E LONIAS borealis. Willd. Sp. PI. ml. 2. p. 274.
A N TH E R ICUM filamentis glabris. Hall. Helv. n. 1205.
PH A LA N G IUM Scoticum palustre minimum, iridis folio. The least Scottish Asphodel. R ail Syn.
Class and Order. H EX A N D R IA TRY G Y N IA .
[N atural Order. MELANTHACEiE, Brown. COLCHICACE.dE, Decand. JU N C I, Juss.]
Char. Ordinis. Perianthium liberum, petaloideum, sexpartitum, unguibusve coalitis tubulosum, laciniis rosti-
vatione saspe mvolutis. Stamina sex. A n the r# ssepius posticte. Ovarium triloculare, polyspermum. Stylus
trifidus vel tripartite; stigmata indivisa. Capsula ssepius tripartibilis, nunc valvis medio septiferis. Semina
testa membranacea, nec atra nec Crustacea. Albumen dense camosum. B r .
Gen. Char. Perianthium simplex, involucro minimo tripartito basi cinctum. Stamina glabra. Capsula tri sex-
locularis, loculis polyspermis, basi junctis.
Gen . ChaR. Perianthium simple, surrounded at the base with a small tripartite involucrum. Stamens smooth'
Capsule from three- to six-celled; cells many-seeded, united at the base.
Radix perennis, parva, lignosa, subtuberosa, fibris
flexuosis fuscis preedita.
Caules brevissimi, dense ctespitosi.
Folia radicalia, biuncialia, flavo-vindia, omnia equi-
tantia, lineari-ensiformia, acuminata, glabra, li-
neata, superne sub lente serrulata.
Scapus solitaries, erectus, simplicissimus, digitalis et
. ultra, glaber, teres, seepe nudus, nunc basi folium
parvum radicalibus simile gerens.
Flores albo-flavescentes, in capitulum parvum ovatum
congesti. > Pedunculi breves, solitarii, aut duo
vel tres approximati, vix lineam longi, incrassati;
ad basin bractese tres (vel involucrum triphyllum)
minutas, concavte, albescentes.
Perianthium simplex, sex-partitum, laciniis obovatis,
obtusis, concavis, erecto-conniventibus, seepe per-
sistentibus.
Stamina sex. Filamenta subulata, alba, perianthio
breviora.
Anther® flavas, bilobae.
Germen ovatum, triloculare, trigonum. Styli tres,
erecti. Stigmata sub-globosa.
Pericarpium : Capsula ovato-globosa, pallide fusca,
transversim rugosa, trilocularis, trivalvis, valva-
rum marginibus introflexis, dissepimenta consti-
• tdentibus.
Semina numerosa, valvarum marginum interiori utrin-
que affixa, oblonga, angulata, rugosa, fusca.
Root perennial, small, woody, somewhat tuberous, furnished
with flexuose brown fibres.
Stems very short, thickly tufted.
Leaves radical, two inches long, yellowish-green, all
equitant, between linear and ensiform, acuminate,
smooth, marked with lines, under a microscope
appearing slightly serrated above.
Scape solitary, erect, quite simple, a finger’s length and
more, glabrous, round, generally naked, sometimes
bearing at the base a small leaf resembling
the radical ones.
Flowers yellowish white, collected into a small ovate
head. Peduncles short, solitary, or two or three
growing together, about a line long, thickened upwards,
having at the base three minute, concave,
whitish bracteee (or a three-leaved involucrum).
Perianth Simple, six-cleft, the segments obovate, obtuse,
concaye, erect, slightly connivent, frequently
persistent
Stamens six. Filaments subulate, white, shorter than
the perianth.
Anthers yellow, two-lobed.
Germen ovate, three-celled, three-sided. Styles three,
erect. Stigmas subglobose.
Peric a r p: Capsule ovato-globose, pale brown, transversely
rugose, three-celled, three-valved, the
margins o f the valves rolled inwards, and constituting
the dissepiments. .
Seeds numerous, attached to the interior of the margins
of the valves on each side, oblong, angular, rugose,
brown.
Fig. 1. Flower in its natural position. Fig. 2. The same laid open to show the germen. Fig. 3. Stamen. Fig. 4. Germen
cut open, to show the three cells and the disposition of the ovules. Fig. 5. Capsule burst open a t the
summit, and showing the inside of one of the valves. Fig. 6. A valve removed. Fig. 7. Seed— all more or
less magnified.
N o t an uncommon inhabitant of the mountains in Scotland, and the northern parts of England and Ireland
My specimens, here figured from, were communicated, with several other rarities, from Middleton in Teesdale
by the Rev. James Dalton, in the month of June 1819. I t inhabits Iceland also, and Lapland.
A plant nearly allied to this, found in Germany, France, and Switzerland, has been considered by most botanists
as the same species; but Sir J . E. Smith has described the points of difference between them in a valuable paper
on the genus Tofieldia, in the 12th volume o f the Linneean Transactions, and has named the one in question
T. alpina. It differs from our plant in having a leafy stalk, the involucrum (calyx of Smith) close to the flower
and a concave permanent bractea, a line in length, at the base of the partial footstalk. This is probably the plant
alluded to in Wahlenberg’s Flora Lapponka ; of which he says, under T. borealis, “ altera species australior in
Gottlandia quoque proveniens abunde differt calyculis flori approximates, et bracteis veris vindibus. Hanc T. calv-
culatum dicere voluissem.” ' ' 9
The Narthecium pusillum of Michaux (Tofieldia pusilla of Pursh) is considered by Sir J. E. Smith to be synonymous
with our British one. I f however it be the same as Nuttall’s T. pusilla, it appears from that author’s
account, to be not only distinct in species, but in genus (vide Nuttall’s American Plants). On this account I have
omitted the Americau plant in the list of synonyms.
In all probability, our Tofieldia is confined to the northern parts of Europe.
What I have here called a three-celled capsule, Sir J . E. Smith considers as three distinct capsules. The structure
is similar to that of Colchicum, which is in the same natural order; and an examination o f the germen or unripe
fruit, clearly shows the union of the three cells.
The genus Tojieldiaw&s so named by Hudson, in honour of his friend Mr. Tofield of Doncaster, the discoverer
of V ida bithynica in Britain.