Bellevalia
(named in honour of P. R. Belleval, a French botanist). ORD. Liliaceae. This genus is now usually placed under Hyacinthus. Hardy, bulbous-rooted plants, admirably adapted for spring bedding or forcing, and invaluable as cut flowers. Flowers small, whitish, or violet, tinged with green. Leaves few, radical, broadly linear. They are of extremely easy culture in ordinary garden soil. Propagated by offsets; also by seeds, which should be sown as soon as ripe.
B. operculata (lid-covered). Synonymous with B. romana. B. romana (Roman).* fl. white, racemose; perianth campanulate; pedicels longer than the flowers. April. l. from 4in. to 5in. long. h. 6in. Italy, 1596. A most desirable plant, and the best of the genus for forcing purposes. SYNS. B. operculata and Hyacinthus romanus. (B. M. 939, under the name of Scilla romana).
B. syriaca (Syrian).* fl. white; peduncles spreading, racemose. May. l. glaucous, 1ft. long, channelled, rather scarious on the margins. h. 1ft. Syria, 1840.