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Plate 59] GAGEA ALLIUM 171
"Fig. 3. Gagea persica, Boiss. Persian Star-of-Bethlehem.
A bulbous small herb. Stem 2-6 in., hairless, very slender.
Badical leaf 4-6 by J-i in., linear or linear-lance-shaped.
Flowers many, in one-sided forked cymes 1-2 in. long. Bracts
many, very short, linear, each bearing a flower or a little bulb
in its axil. Perianth J-J^ in. long ; segments linear, blunt.
Filaments nearly as long as the segments. Capsule nearly as
long as the perianth. Seeds compressed, not angled or winged.
Flowers. May.
Locality. Gulmarg, open rnargs in short grass, 8,600 ft.,
not as common as G. lutea.
Gagea kashmirensis, Turrill. Kashmir Star-of-Bethlehem.
Bulbs 2, unequal, J--J- by 5 in. Stem erect, about 6 in. high,
more or less densely covered with white hairs. Radical
leaves 2, very narrowly linear, almost filiform, almost f in.
long stem-leaves alternate, unequal, lance-shaped from a
;
broadened base, narrowed towards the tip, with the margin
more or less white-ciliate, the lower one over 2 in. long, often
shorter, the upper f-1 in. long. Inflorescence 3-6-flowered ;
stalks erect or almost so, often in. -|-|- long, provided with white
hairs. Bracts linear. Flowers yellow, hairless. Perianthsegments
narrowly elliptic or elliptic-lance-shaped, slightly
narrowed at the base, about i by s in., the outer ones sharppointed,
5-7-nerved, the inner ones almost blunt, 3-4-nerved.
Stamens about 4 in. long ;
anthers oblong. Ovary inversely
egg-shaped. Style i in. long.
Flowers. March .
Locality. Srinagar, 5,100 ft.
Distribution. So far endemic in Kashmir.
ALLIUM, Linn.
(The old Latin name of Garlic, Allium sativutn.)
A. Leaves flat.
A A. Bulbs solitary or clustered upon
a rootstock.
I. Scales of bulb membranous,
not of netted fibres.
1. Stamens longer than the
perianth.
a. Flowers rosy or pale yellow A. Stracheyi.
b. Flowers golden yellow ... A. consanguineum.
c. Flowers red-purple
... A. Thomsoni.
2. Stamens as long as or shorter
than the perianth
... A. Wallichil.