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Sect. v. Corolla regularis, marcescens. Flores fasciculati. Bracteæ tot, interiores ramentaceæ.
Corollæ Tubus plus minus urceolaris: Limbus recurvus, 6-partitus. Filamenta 6, ore tubi inserta alternis nuncsterilibus et petaloides, erecta. Antheræ prælongæ, basi insertæ. Torus melliferus. Pericarpium nonnihil stipitatum, ab apice dehiscens. Stylus erectus. Stigma amplum, varie 3-6-dum. Semina oblonga, 2-plici serie inserta, angulata. Herbæ e California. Bulbus perennis, sphæricus, tunicus reticulatis. Folia angusta, multiformis, lineari- lanceolata, obtusa. Flores cærulei, erecti. Pedunculatus gracilis, e medio foliorum. In memoriam Gulielmi Hooker, pictoris hujusce operis, genus sacrum velim: duæ species innotuerunt.
Coronaria. H. corollæ laciniis tubo parum longioribus: filamentis alternis sterilibus et petaloides.
Pulchella. H. corollæ laciniis tubo brevioribus: filamentis brevissimis, omnibus antheriferis.
Sponte nascentem in California, utrasque legit A. Menzies.
Floret prior apud nos Junio.
For this and several other rare plants taken from a Spanish prize condemned at Halifax in Nova Scotia, I am indebted to Mrs. Haliburton of that place. It flowered in June last at Mill Hill, and is one of those mentioned in Dr. Smith's Introduction to Botany as countenancing Jussieu's idea that the flower of all 1-cotyledonous plants should be called a calyx. Dr. Smith's words are "Two species of a new genus, found by Mr. Menzies on the west coast of North America have beautiful liliaceous flowers like an Agapanthus with 6 internal petals besides!" My generic character with Mr. Hooker's dissections which are very accurate render any comment upon the above observation unnecessary, and the genus confirms instead of invalidating what I have presumed to say relative to this subject in the 8th volume of the Linnean Society's Transactions.
I regret much to dissent so often from the celebrated lecturer just mentioned, especially respecting the affinity of plants. I place this with Allium in the Asphodeli on account of its genitalia, leaving Agapanthus with the Narcissi for its wide difference in the same parts. From the structure of these reproductive organs likewise, I should refer his genus Sowerbæa to the Asparagi, even if it had no other connexion, thinking that the reasons which he himself gives for keeping Apocinum in Pentandria, as clearly prove that Sowerbæa belongs to Triandria: for, I recollect no instance at this moment of an 1-locular anther except in Canna, and from its mode of insertion as well as the analogy of other scitamineous anthers, that seems to me rather half an anther, than a whole one: however, the radication, and stipulation fix Sowerbæa immovably near Dianella, as well as the country it comes from. I shall probably be laughed at, for affixing any value to this last character, and still more so for thinking that whole genera and orders of vegetables have been hurled away from the surface of our globe along with the strata upon which they grew, in that convulsion called the deluge; but I have no doubt that future generations will make discoveries to strengthen this conjecture, and that in studying the affinities of vegetables, their geographical connexion may be frequently inquired into with advantage.
Root bright brown, similar in external appearance to that of many Ensotæ, but certainly perennial and not annually reproduced as in them, its outer coats finely reticulated, with fibres issuing
