le, that, at some future period, seminal varieties
may be obtained with flowers highly improved in colour.

This species is readily raised from seeds, is of quick growth, and may
be regarded as one of our more hardy green-house plants: probably it may
succeed in the open air, if planted in a warm situation, and sheltered
in inclement seasons.

[Illustration: No 268]

[Illustration: No 269]

[269]

ORNITHOGALUM NUTANS. NEAPOLITAN STAR OF BETHLEHEM.

_Class and Order._

HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

_Generic Character._

_Cor._ 6 petala, erecta, persistens, supra medium patens,
_Filamenta_ alterna basi dilatata.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

ORNITHOGALUM _nutans_ floribus secundis pendulis, nectario stamineo
campaniformi. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14._ _Murr. p. 328._ _Ait.
Kew. v. i. p. 443._

ORNITHOGALUM exoticum magno flore minori innato. _Bauh. Pin. p.
70._

ORNITHOGALUM Neopolitanum, the Starre-flower of Naples. _Park.
Parad. p. 138. p. 137. f. 8._ _Clus. app. alt. p. 9. fig. 7._

Authors have given to this species of Ornithogalum the name of
Neapolitan, following CLUSIUS by whom the plant is figured and
described, and who so called it, merely on receiving it from Naples; it
may perhaps be doubted whether it be originally a native of Italy. Prof.
JACQUIN has figured it in his _Flora Austriaca_, the plant being common
about Vienna, in garden-walks, under hedges, and in meadows, he does not
however, from that circumstance, regard it as an original native there.
CASP. BAUHIN informs us that HONORIUS BELLI sent it him from Crete under
the name of _Phalangium_, leaving its true habitat to be settled more
precisely hereafter, we shall observe, that it is one of those plants
which soon accommodate themselves to any country; producing a numerous
progeny both from roots and seeds, and by no means nice as to soil or
situation; it is not long before it becomes a weed in the garden, from
whence it is apt like the _Hyacinthus racemosus_, already figured, to
pass into the field or meadow.

Its flowers, which if not beautiful are singular and delicate, make
their appearance towards the end of April, they are of no long duration,
seldom continuing above a fortnight, and are succeeded by seed-vessels
which produce abundance of ripe seed, by which, as well as by its bulbs,
the plant may be increased.

In the _Hortus Kewensis_ it is set down as a Greenhouse plant,