LILIACE^— LILY FAMILY 



FAUN LILY. DOG'S-TOOTH VIOLET. 

 ADDER'S-TONGUE 



Erytkrdnium Americdnum 



Erythrdniiun, the Greek name for the purple-flowered 

 European species. 



Perennial, growing in beds and patches in rich, moist 

 open woods. New Brunswick to Florida, west to Minne- 

 sota and Arkansas. Abundant in northern Ohio. April, 

 May. 



Root. — Fibrous, from a corm deep in the ground. 



Scape. — Six to nine inches high, one-flowered, sheathed 

 by two flat shining leaves, tapering into petioles. 



Leaves. — Elliptical -lanceolate, smooth, shining, pale 

 green, mottled with purplish, irregular patches. 



Flowers. — Lily-shaped, solitary, nodding, pale yellow; 

 of three sepals that look like petals, and three petals — all 

 very much alike, together called perianth. 



Stamens. — Six, filaments yellow, with broad bases and 

 tapering to a point where the anthers join them; anthers 

 yellow or red. 



Pistil. — Pale green, somewhat three-sided; style long. 

 Fruit. — A plump, triangular capsule which splits into 

 three sections when ripe; seeds many, crescent-shaped. 



Pollinated by small bees, butterflies, and flies; also 

 capable of self-fertilization. Nectar-bearing. 



This little spring lily of the woodlands is a fasci- 

 nating plant. Its leaves of pale, shining green, mottled 



17 



