FRITILLARY; a genus of plants belonging to the hexandria class; and in the natural method ranking under the 11th order, Coronariae. See Botany Index.

The different species of fritillary were, according to Beckman, introduced into gardens about the middle of the 16th century. The crown imperial (Fritillaria imperialis) is supposed by some to be the lily which is much celebrated in sacred scripture; because a figure resembling this splendid plant, they imagine, is found represented on the coins of Herod. Invent. vol. iii.