PHALANGIUM Allobrogicum. The Savoye Spider-wort. _Park. Parad. p.
150. tab. 151. f. 1._
[Illustration: N^o. 318]
Botanists are divided in their opinions respecting the genus of this
plant; Linnaeus considers it as an _Anthericum_, Haller and Miller make
it an _Hemerocallis_.
It is a native of Switzerland, where, Haller informs us, it grows
abundantly in the Alpine meadows, and even on the summits of the
mountains; with us it flowers in May and June.
It is a plant of great elegance, producing on an unbranched stem about a
foot and a half high, numerous flowers of a delicate white colour, much
smaller but resembling in form those of the common white lily,
possessing a considerable degree of fragrance, their beauty is
heightened by the rich orange colour of their antherae; unfortunately
they are but of short duration.
Miller describes two varieties of it differing merely in size.
A loamy soil, a situation moderately moist, with an eastern or western
exposure, suits this plant best; so situated, it will increase by its
roots, though not very fast, and by parting of these in the autumn, it
is usually propagated.
Parkinson describes and figures it in his _Parad. Terrest._ observing
that "divers allured by the beauty of its flowers, had brought it into
these parts."
[319]
Anagallis Monelli. Italian Pimpernel.
_Class and Order._
Pentandria Monogynia.
_Generic Character._
_Cor._ rotata. _Caps._ circumscissa 1-locularis, polysperma.
_Specific Character and Synonyms._
ANAGALLIS _Monelli_, foliis lanceolatis caule erecto. _Linn. Syst.
Veget. ed. 14._ _Murr. p. 196._ _Ait. Kew. v. 1. p. 201._
ANAGALLIS coerulea foliis binis ternisve ex adverso nascentibus.
_Bauh. Pin. 552._