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The Botanical Magazine, Vol. 10 / Or, Flower-Garden Displayed cover

The Botanical Magazine, Vol. 10 / Or, Flower-Garden Displayed

Chapter 19: 341—Scilla Amæna
By William Curtis
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About This Book

A sequence of coloured botanical plates is paired with concise Linnaean names and diagnostic characters, followed by descriptions of form, flowering time, native or introduced range, and recommended methods of cultivation and propagation. Individual entries emphasize morphological detail useful for identification and note practical growing habits observed in collections. The volume supplies systematic indexes that organize species by Latin and English names, hardiness, and whether they suit open ground, greenhouse, or stove culture. The result serves as a combined visual reference and hands-on guide for recognizing and cultivating a wide range of ornamental plants.

[341]

Scilla Amæna. Byzantine Squill.

Class and Order.

Hexandria Monogynia.

Generic Character.

Cor. 6-petala patens, decidua. Filamenta filiformia.

Specific Character and Synonyms.

SCILLA amæna floribus lateralibus alternis subnutantibus, scapo angulato. Linn. Syst. Veg. ed. 14. Murr. p. 328. Ait. Kew. v. 1. p. 444. Jacq. Fl. Austr. v. 3. t. 218.

HYACINTHUS stellaris cæruleus amænus. Bauh. Pin. 46.

HYACINTHUS stellaris Bizantinus. Hort. Eyst. Vern. 2d. ord. fol. 13.

HYACINTHUS stellatus Byzantinus alter sive flore Boraginis. The other Starry Jacinth of Constantinople. Park. Parad. p. 128. t. 131. f. 4.

HYACINTHUS stellaris, caulibus pluribus ex eodum bulbo ortis singulis pluribus floribus oneratis. Moris. Hist. 2. p. 374. s. 4. t. 12. f. 17.

No. 341

The Scilla amæna, a hardy bulbous plant of small growth, is a native of the Levant, and has long been cultivated in this country for ornament, being introduced about the year 1600, by Ed. Lord Zouch, (vid. Park. Parad. & Lobel. Avers.); when it grows luxuriantly, many flowering stems will spring from the same root, which, when the plant is in flower, are altogether upright; as the seed-vessels advance in size and weight, they bend down, the blossoms are violet-colored, and the germen in the centre of each is distinguished for the paleness of its colour, a character which did not escape the observation of Parkinson.

It flowers early in May, and, in favourable situations, ripens its seeds in the beginning of June.

Is usually increased by offsets, which are produced in tolerable abundance; will grow in almost any soil or situation; but will succeed best if planted in a sandy loam, and a warm sheltered part of the garden.

Its seeds are of a pale amber colour, and drop soon.

Though Professor Jacquin figures it in his Fl. Austriaca, he suspects that it had originally been introduced from Constantinople.