452 ERYTHRONIUM AMERICANUM, 
eies. The Lily, Tulip, Crown imperial, and 
Gloriosa are specimens of this order. They 
belong to the same artificial class and order Hear- 
andria trigynia, and have a close affinity in all the 
parts of their structure. The Erythronium, 
- which is generally called, I know not for what 
reason, Dog’s tooth violet, is one of the smallest of 
the order. 
This genus has ‘no calyx. Its corolla is 
inferior, six petalled ; the three inner petals with 
a eallous prominence on each edge near the hase. 
The common American plant has its scape naked, 
its leaves lanceolate and involute at the point; and 
its style club-shaped and undivided. It is an early 
flowering plant, being in blossom in the first part 
of May. It grows in woods and fields in the 
eelaebiaas and Middle states. 
The root is a solid bulb, situated deep in the 
selina brown outside, and white and homoge- — 
neous within. The whole plant is smooth and 
glossy. Scape naked, slender. Leaves two, 
nearly equal, lanceolate, veinless, of a dark 
brownish green, clouded with irregular spots, 
. sheathing the scape with their base, and termi- 
nating in an obtuse callous point. Flower solitary, 
drooping. Petals six, lanceolate, yellow, the 
three outermost partly crimson on the outside, 
