See Crinum spirale, Pl. XCII. Vol. II.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Crinum foliis flaccidis, undulatis; floribus sessilibus, umbellatis; petalis concavis, subalbidis.
Asphodel-Lily with flaccid, waved leaves; flowers sitting close to the flower stem in umbels; petals concave, nearly white.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. A miniature representation of the whole plant.
2. A Petal with its chive.
3. The Seed-bud, Shaft, and Summit.
The coast of Africa bordering on our settlement at Sierra Leone, has furnished us with a number of beautiful plants; but none more so, than those of the natural order of Lily; witness our present figure, which was taken from a plant in the Hammersmith collection, in the month of August 1800. The bulbs of this grand species of Crinum, were received by her Ladyship, the Right Honourable the Marchioness of Rockingham, about the year 1792, from Sierra Leone; they may be considered as hardy hothouse plants, and may be kept in any part of it; will flower, freely, about the month of August, the flower-stems rising, sometimes, to the height of three feet. A mixture, of leaf mould, or sandy peat one half, and light loam the other, is the best compost to make them flourish. It is propagated from the seed, or offsets.—Having made a small alteration, in the Essential Character of the Genus; and as it is likely we may figure some other species of Crinums shortly; we think it necessary to add a few words, to that point. The most ostensible difference, we have been able to trace, in comparing above 40 species of Crinums and Amaryllis’s, and on which to rest, with certainty, for generical distinction; can, unquestionably, be taken only, from the seeds; as these in most species of Pancratium, Hæmanthus, and all of this Genus, are viviparous or formed like fleshy bulbs, producing plants, like offsets taken from the original bulbs. From Pancratium it is distinct, in being destitute of the Honey-cup; and equally so from Hæmanthus, which has its sheath of many leaves, the flowers and chives upright, and the chives, twice the length of the blossoms.[Pg 102][Pg 101]
