314 



JIONOCOTYLEDONES. 



The woody species are tropical. The majority of the introduced Liliaceae 

 ( fr'ritillaria imperialis, Crown-imperial; Lilium caiididitin; Tulipa gesnenana; 

 Hyacinth ; Afrwcart-species ; Sc ilia-species ; Ornithogalum nutans; Hemerocallis 

 jnlra andflava; Aspltodelus liitens aud albus) come from the Mediterranean and 

 W.Asia; friinckia, from China and Japan; several Lilies from Japan and the 

 Himalayas ; Agapanthus from the Cape ; Allium saticitm is a native of the 

 Kerghis Steppes ; A. cepa from Persia (?) ; A. ascaloiiicum is not known 

 wild (according to others a native of Asia Minor), perhaps a form of A. cepa ; 

 A. ichosnoprasum from the N. temp, region. 



Many bulbs have pungent properties ; many Onions are used as culinary plants 

 The bast fibres of Phurmium tenax (New Zealand Flax) are used technically. 

 Dyes are obtained from the Aloe ; gum for varnish from the stem of Xanthorrhnea 

 h-istiln and australe. OFFICINAL; "Aloes," the dried sap of S. African species 

 of Aloe. (A. Africana, A.ferox, etc.) ; the bulb known as "Squills" from Urginea 

 (Scilla) niaiitima (Mediterranean). 



Order 3. Convallariaceae. This order differs from the 

 Liliaceae in having the fruit a berry (Fig. 308) and in never being 

 bullions ; the seeds are less numerous. 



A. CONVALLARIE2E, LlLY OF THE VALLEY GROUP. Rhizome (Fig. 



307) and normal foliage-leaves. Polygonatum : rhizome creeping ; 



aerial shoot leafy, bearing the 

 flowers in racemes in the axils of 

 the foliage-leaves ; perianth tubu- 

 lar. P. multiftorum (Solomon's 

 seal), P. officinale, etc. Majanthe- 

 mum : flower 2-merous ; perianth 

 almost polyphyllous, spreading. 

 Smilacina. Streptopus (S. amplexi- 

 fulius ; the flowers or inflorescence 

 unite with the entire succeeding 

 internode). Convallaria (1 species 

 C. majalis, Lily of the valley) ; flowers in terminal racemes ; 2 basal 

 foliage-leaves ; perianth globose, bell-shaped. lleineckea earned 

 (Japan, China) in gardens. Paris (P. quadrifolia, Herb- Paris) ; 

 flowers solitary, terminal, 4-merous, polyphyllous ; styles 4, free 

 (approaching the Colchicacea? ; it is also poisonous) ; a whorl of 

 4 (-more) 3-nerved, reticulate leaves on each shoot. Ornamental 

 plants: species of Trillium, Aspidistra elatior (Japan). 



B. ASPAKAGEJ;, ASPARAGUS GKODP. Scale-like leaves and green 

 assimilating branches. Asparagus : horizontal rhizome. The aerial 

 shoots are very richly branched ; the numerous needle-like bodies 

 upon the plant are leafless shoots, which are crowded together in 

 double scorpioid cymes in the axils of the scale-leaves ; the two first 



FIG. 307. Rhizome of P.<Z!/goi!iiti<iii 

 multijlorum : a bud ; b shoot ; c d scars 

 left by shoots of previous years. 



