Hexandria Monogynia.
Generic Character.
Cor. 6-petala, campanulata, supra ungues cavitate nectarifera. Stam. longitudine corollæ.
Specific Character and Synonyms.
FRITILLARIA imperialis racemo comoso inferne nudo, foliis integerrimis. Linn, Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14. Murr. p. 324. Ait. Kew. v. 1. p. 432.
LILIUM sive Corona Imperialis. Bauh. Pin. p. 79.
TUSAI sive Lilium Persicum. Clust. Hist. 1. p. 127.
CORONA IMPERIALIS. The Crowne Imperiall. Park. Par. p. 27. tab. 29. f. 1.
The Crown Imperial, a native of the East, most probably of Persia, was introduced according to Dodonæus, into the gardens of the emperor and some of the nobility at Vienna in 1576; it appears to have been cultivated here as early as 1596: both Gerard and Parkinson describe it minutely, the latter on account of its "stately beautifulness, gives it the first place in his garden of delight."