280 FLORA. 



4. HYMENOCALLIS Salisb. 



Mostly tall bulbous herbs with usually lanceolate or linear-oblong leaves, and 

 large white umbelled flowers on solid scapes, each flower subtended by 2 mem- 

 branous bracts. Perianth of 6 spreading or recurved narrow equal elongated lobes, 

 united below into a long cylindric tube. Stamens inserted in the top of the perianth- 

 tube, the lower parts ol the long filaments connected by a membranous crown; anthers 

 linear, versatile. Ovary 3-celled; ovules only I or 2 in each cavity; style filiform, 

 long-exserted; stigma small, entire or nearly so. Capsule rather fleshy. Seeds 

 usually only I or 2, large, green, fleshy. [Greek, beautiful membrane, referring 

 to the crown.] About 30 species, all American. Besides the following, 10 others 

 occur in the Southern States. 



i. Hymenocallis occidentalis (Le Conte) Kunth. HYMENOCALLIS. (I. F. f. 

 1064.) Bulb large. Leaves linear-oblong, narrowed at each end, fleshy, glaucous, 

 3-6 dm. long, 1.5-5 cm - wide ; scape equalling or longer than the leaves ; bracts 

 linear-lanceolate ; umbel several-flowered ; perianth-tube 3-4 mm. in diameter, 

 7-13 cm. long, the linear lobes nearly as long; crown funnelform, narrowed below, 

 2.5-3 cm. long, its margins entire, erose or 2-toothed between the filaments ; free 

 part of the filaments about 2.5 cm. long, white ; anthers I mm. wide, yellow; style 

 extending for 5-8 cm. beyond the crown, green ; fruit 1.22 cm. in diameter. In 

 moist soil, Ga. to S. 111. and Mo. July-Sept. 



5. AGAVE L. 



Fleshy herbs, some tropical species very tall, with a short crown-like or erect 

 rootstock (caudex) and tall bracted scapes, the leaves large, thick, sometimes spiny, 

 toothed, basal, or clustered at the top of the caudex, and large bracted flowers in 

 terminal spikes or compound clusters. Perianth tubular or funnelform, withering- 

 persistent, of 6 equal or nearly equal lobes, united below into a tube. Stamens in- 

 serted on the perianth at the bases of the lobes, exserted. Ovary 3-celled ; style 

 slender, exserted, 3-lobed ; ovules numerous, in 2 rows in each cavity of the ovary. 

 Capsule 3-lobed, thick-walled, many-seeded. Seeds compressed, somewhat cuneate, 

 black. [Greek, signifying noble.] About 140 species, all American. Besides 

 the following, some 12 others occur in the southwestern States. 



I. Agave Virglnica L. FALSE ALOE. (I. F. f. 1065.) Glabrous through- 

 out ; rootstock a short crown. Scape 6-12 dm. tall, sometimes nearly 1.2 cm. in 

 diameter at the base, its bracts distant, long -acuminate ; leaves narrowly oblong, 

 1.5-6 dm. long, acuminate, their margins entire or denticulate ; spike 3-6 dm. 

 long, loose ; flowers greenish yellow, odorous, solitary in the axils of short bracts; 

 perianth slightly expanded above, 1.5-2.5 cm. long, the tube about twice as long 

 as the erect lobes ; capsule 1-1.6 cm. in diameter, abruptly contracted into a short 

 stalk. In dry soil, Md. to Ind., Mo., Fla. and Tex. Summer. 



6. HYPOXIS L. 



Low, mostly villous herbs, with a corm or short rootstock, grass-like leaves and 

 slender few-flowered scapes, the flowers rather small. Perianth 6-parted, its 

 segments equal or nearly so, separate to the summit of the ovary, withering- 

 persistent, the 3 outer ones greenish on the lower side in our species. Stamens in- 

 serted on the bases of the perianth-segments ; filaments short ; anthers erect, sagit- 

 tate or entire. Ovary 3-celled ; style short ; stigmas 3, erect ; ovules numerous, 

 in 2 rows in each cavity. Capsule thin- walled, not dehiscent by valves. Seeds 

 globular, black, laterally short-beaked by their stalks. [Greek, originally given 

 to some plant with sour leaves.] About 50 species, widely distributed. Besides 

 the following, two others occur in the southern States. 



I. Hypoxis hirstita(L.)Coville. STARGRASS. (I. F. f. 1066.) Corm 6-12 mm. 

 in diameter. Leaves basal, narrowly linear, 2-5 mm. wide, more or less villous, 

 mostly longer than the scapes ; scapes slender, erect, villous above, 5-15 cm. high; 

 flowers 1-6, umbellate ; bracts subulate, shorter than the pedicels ; perianth- 

 segments narrowly oblong, spreading, mostly obtuse, bright yellow within, villous 

 without, 6-10 mm. long; stamens somewhat unequal; style 3-angled, the stigmas 

 decurrent on the angles ; capsule about 3 mm. in diameter. In dry soil, Me. and 

 Ont. to Assiniboia, Fla. and Tex. May-Oct. 



