CONVALLARIA CEAE. 2?$ 



oval, IO 12 mm. in diameter. In moist woods, Lab. to Alaska, Ga.. Mich, and 

 Ore. May-July. 



7. SALOMONIA Heist. 



Herbs, with thick jointed and scarred rootstocks, simple stems, scaly below, 

 leafy above, the leaves sessile and alternate in our species. Flowers greenish or 

 pinkish, axillary, drooping, peduncled, solitary or 2-10 in an umbel, the pedicels 

 jointed at the base of the flower. Perianth 6-lobed. Stamens 6, included ; fila- 

 ments adnate to the perianth for half their length or more ; anthers sagittate, in- 

 trorse. Ovary 3 -celled ; ovules 2-6 in each cavity ; style slender ; stigma small, 

 capitate or slightly 3-lobed. Berry globular, dark blue or nearly black, with a 

 bloom, in our species. [Named in honor of Salomon.] About 20 species, natives 

 of the north temperate zone. (Polygonatum Adans.) 



Leaves pubescent beneath ; filaments filiform, roughened. i. P. biflorum. 



Plant glabrous throughout ; filaments smooth, somewhat flattened. 2. P. commutatum. 



1. Salomonia biflora (Walt.) Britton. HAIRY SOLOMON'S SEAL. (I. F. f. 

 1039.) Stem slender, glabrous. 2-9 dm. high. Leaves 410 cm. long, 1.25 cm. 

 wide, acute or acuminate at the apex, sometimes obtuse at the base, pubescent 

 especially on the veins and pale beneath, glabrous above; peduncles i-4-flowered 

 (often 2 -flowered); perianth 8-12 mm. long; filaments filiform, adnate to the peri- 

 anth for about three fourths its length, papillose-roughened ; berry 6-8 mm. in 

 diameter. In woods and thickets, N. B. to Ont., Mich., Fla. and W. Va. April- 

 July. (P. biflontm Ell.) 



2. Salomonia commutata (R. & S.) Britton. SMOOTH SOLOMON'S SEAL. 

 (I. F. f. 1040.) Glabrous throughout; stem 0.3-2.5 m. high. Leaves 3-15 cm. 

 long, 7-10 cm. wide, narrowed, rounded or somewhat clasping at the base ; pe- 

 duncles i-8-flowered, glabrous ; perianth 12-20 mm. long ; filaments somewhat 

 flattened, smooth, adnate to the perianth for half its length or more; berry 8-12 

 mm. in diameter. In moist woods and along streams, rarely in dry soil, R. I. to 

 Ont., Manitoba, Ga., La., Utah and N. Mex. May-July. (P. commutatum Dietr.) 



8. CONVALLARIA L. 



A low glabrous herb, with horizontal rootstocks and 2 or sometimes 3 erect 

 leaves, narrowed into sheathing petioles, the lower part of the stem bearing sheath- 

 ing scales. Flowers white (rarely pink), fragrant, nodding. Raceme i-sided. Peri- 

 anth globose-campanulate, 6-lobed, deciduous, the short lobes recurved. Stamens 

 6, included ; filaments short, adnate to the lower part of the perianth ; anthers in- 

 trorse. Ovary 3 -celled; ovules several in each cavity; style slender, 3 -grooved; 

 stigma small, capitate, slightly 3-lobed. Berry globose. [Latin from convallis, 

 valley, and the Greek for lily.] A monotypic genus of Europe, Asia and the 

 higher Alleghenies. 



I. Convallaria majalis L. LILY-OF-THE-VALLEY. (I. F. f. 1041.) Stem 

 1-2.3 dm. high. Leaves oblong, or oval, appearing nearly basal, acute at both 

 ends, 1.2-3 dm. l n g> 2-0 " cm. wide; basal scales large, one of them subtending an 

 erect angled scape snorter than the leaves; raceme 2-10 cm. long, loosely several- 

 flowered; pedicels filiform, recurved, 6-12 mm. long; perianth 6-8 mm. long; fila- 

 ments shorter than the anthers ; berry about 6 mm. in diameter. On the higher 

 mountains of Va., N. Car. and S. Car. Common in cultivation. May-June. 



g. MEDEOLA L. 



A slender erect unbranched herb, loosely provided with deciduous wool. Root- 

 stock thick, white, tuber-like, with somewhat the odor and taste of cucumbers. 

 Leaves of flowering plants in 2 (rarely 3) whorls; lower whorl of 4-10 oblong- 

 lanceolate or obovate leaves; upper whorl of 3-5 ovate or oval leaves, subtending 

 the sessile umbel of small greenish yellow declined flowers. Perianth of 6 separate 

 equal recurved segments. Stamens 6, hypogynous; filaments slender, longer than 

 the oblong extrorse anthers. Ovary 3-celled; ovules several in each cavity; styles 

 3, recurved. Berry globose. [Name from Medea, a sorceress, referring to the 

 supposed healing properties.] A monotypic genus of eastern N. Am. 



