98
84
G. A. C. HERKLOTS
out-of-doors in the warmer parts of England. Immediately under the soil small bulbs are formed, often in quantity, so with care it should be possible to keep this Lily even though it ripens no seeds,”
Full and complete descriptions of both L. Brownii and L. Brownii var. colchesteri Wilson and a complete synonomy of species and variety are given by Wilson in his book and there is therefore no need to give them here. On our local hillsides the flower stalk varies in length from 2 feet to 5 feet in height and the number of flowers borne at its apex from one to four. Flowers measured by me were 7 inches long and 7 inches in diameter when fully open. They are very fragrant and beautifully coloured. Inside the segments are white but on the outside the three outer segments are heavily marked with a striking bronze-purple colouration; the three inner segments are white on the outside as on the inside but possess a broad central stripe of purple. The stamens are deep orange in striking contrast to the petals. Sometimes the flowers are almost pure white being perhaps only faintly tinged with purple on the outside of the three outer perianth seg-
ments.
The only Lily mentioned by Bentham (1) p. 374, as native to Hong Kong is Lilium longiflorum, Thunb. He writes "Flowers white, solitary, or 2 or 3 on short pedicels, nodding, full 5 in. long, narrow-campanulate and much contracted below the middle." This, Wilson, loc cit p. 28, takes to be Lilium Brownii F. E. Brown. D. and T. (2) p. 280, mention both Lilium longiflorum, Thunb, and Lilium Brownii, F. E. Br. and differentiate between the two by saying that in longiflorum the perianth is white and the pollen yellow and in Brownii the perianth is white marked with purple on the exterior and the pollen is red. This longiflorum, Wilson, loc. cit. p. 31. takes to be L. Brownii var. colchesteri, he does not refer to the L. Brownii of D. and T. and evidently believes that both lilies mentioned by those authors are really the var. colchesteri. I am inclined to agree with Wilson that there is only the one wild Lilium in Hong Kong and the New Ter- ritories and that it is the var. colchesteri. Wilson's reference to the vari- ability of colour of perianth segments and pollen, loc. cit. p. 31, supports this view. H. H. Hu in Icones Plantarum Sinicarum (4) illustrates this lily, plate 100 and description in English and Chinese on page 50. He gives it the Chinese name of Hй Pak, fal Pako hop, White flower hundred hop,* and as family name & Pak, hop, for", Hundred hop family. In his account he writes,-
4
40
15
often
cultivated, especially in Kiangsu and south Manchuria, for its edible bulb. A kind of arrowroot starch is made of its starch. Its coloration varies in a very great extent, some plants with almost pure white perianth and pale yellow anthers readily lead people to confuse it with L. longiflorum Thunberg."
In an article by Mr. V. H. C. Jarrett in this number of the Hong Kong Naturalist reference is made to the fact that this lily is one of our most strictly protected plants. That protection is absolutely necessary for
* The literal translation of hop, is
JA
correct."
The Hong Kong Naturalist.
The Hong Kong Naturalist.
Vol. III, No. 2.
Plate 17.
Lilium Brownii var, colchesteri Wilson.
Printed by S.C.M. Post.