Amaryllis Vittata. Superb Amaryllis.

Class and Order:

Hexandria Monogynia.

Generic Character:

Corolla hexapetaloidea, irregularis. Filamenta fauci tubi inserta, declinata, inaequalia proportione vel directione, Linn. fil.

Specific Character and Synonyms:

AMARYLLIS floribus pedicellatis, corollis cuneiformi-infundibuliformibus, petalorum exteriorum rachibus interiorum margini adnatis, scapo tereti, stigmatibus sulcatis. Linn. fil.

AMARYLLIS vittata. L'Herit. Sert. Angl. t. 15. Ait. Hort. Kew. p. 418.

Linnaeus, the Son, took much pains in new modelling the generic and specific characters of this genus; as may be seen in the Hort. Kew: Mons. L'Heritier, when in England a few years since, saw this species, described and named it Vittata[1].

Of what country it is a native is not known with certainty, most probably of the Cape, was first introduced into England by Mr. Malcolm.

Our figure was drawn from a fine specimen which flowered this spring with Messrs. Grimwood and Co. Kensington.

It usually flowers in April or May, but may be forwarded by artificial heat.

It rarely puts forth offsets from the root, but readily produces seeds, by which it is propagated without difficulty.

When it blossoms in perfection it truly deserves the name of superb, which Mr. Aiton has given it, the stem rising to the height of three feet or more, and producing from two to five flowers.

[1] From the gaiety of its flowers, which, from their stripes, appear like an object decorated with ribbands. - Vitta, a ribband; vittata, dressed with ribbands. Ainsw.