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ANTHERICE^ AND ERLOSPEIt ViKJE. 255 



Thysanotus sparteus. True bulbs do not occur in either of tho 

 two tribes. 



Leaves. — The leaves, in the great mass of the species, are nar- 

 row linear, produced at the same time as the flowers, and firm 

 enough in texture to be as persistent as those of an average grass, 

 with close distinct vertical ribs, which do not leave any space 

 between them for transverse venules. In Bulbine they are fleshy 

 and yield copious yellow juice, sometimes subterete w r ith a channel 

 down the face, and in other species Narcissus-like or lanceolate. 

 In Hodgsoniola they are rush-like, in Xeronema easiform and 

 Ira-like. In Narthecium they are linear and concentrated in a 

 distichous basal rosette. In Metanarthecium they are oblanceolate, 

 with distinct transverse venules between the vertical ribs. In 

 one group of Thysanotus they have all disappeared by the time 

 the flowering-stems are produced. In one group of Chlorophytum 

 they have a membranous oblong or lanceolate lamina narrowed 

 into a distinct clasping petiole. In Eriospermum they are usually 

 solitary with a broad distinctly petiolate blade, and are produced 

 at a different season than the flowers. 



Stems and general Habit. — Here we have great variety. Tho 

 common type in Anthericeae is that of an erect perennial herb, 

 with a rosette of leaves from the crown of the root, and the stem 

 furnished below the inflorescence with few similar leaves reduced 

 in size. The acaulescent scape-bearing type, ending in a simple 

 raceme, so common in the bulbiferous Liliacese, is reproduced 

 here in Eriospermum and Bulbine. Densely leafy produced stems 

 occur in Stypandra and Asphodeline. The most striking depar- 

 tures from ordinary type in habit are presented by : — certain Aus- 

 tralian Anthericeae ; Thysanotus Patersoni, which is one of the few 

 decidedly scandent Liliaceae ; the three species of the Corynotheca 

 section of Ccssia, which are rigid undershrubs of almost furze -like 

 habit, with ditrichotomous or pinnate ramification, and two 

 species of Tricoryne, with flattened herbaceous steins. 



Inflorescence.— In both the Anther ica and the Asphodels the 



flowers are commonly racemose, with a strong tendency in the 



acemes to become compound and to form panicles with racemose 



branches. In Eriospermum, Bulbine, Narthecium, Eremurus, 



are essentially 



simple, as in Scilla or Ryacinthus. The inflorescence becomes a 

 simple corymb in Ghamcescilla and Morgagnia. This corymb 



JCerone 



springs direct from the root in Anther icum, section Ho1opod\ 



r 2 



