LILY-OF-THE-VALLEY FAMILY 



Rootstock. — Slender. 



Stems. — Slender, usually two-leaved, sometimes with 

 but one, rarely with three; three to six inches high, often 

 zigzag. 



Leaves. — Broad oval, cordate, sessile or short-petioled, 

 parallel-veined, shining; fertile stem has two leaves, the 



sterile but one. 



Flowers. — Small, white, in 

 a terminal, many-flowered 

 raceme, slightly fragrant. 



Perianth. — Of four sepa- 

 rate, spreading segments, fi- 

 nally reflexed. 



Stamens. — Four, inserted 

 at the base of the segments; 

 filaments threadlike; anthers 

 introrse. 



Pistil. — Ovary two-celled; 

 style two-lobed. 



Fruit. — Small, globular 

 berry, pale red, speckled. 



The Flower-of-May ap- 

 pears in open, sunny wood- 

 lands where the soil is thin 

 and composed largely of 

 leaf-mould, and gathers 

 about the trunks of trees or upon the few inches of soil 

 above rocks. It rejoices in companionship and makes 

 great beds of shining leaves, the flowering plants having 

 two, the sterile but one. These leaves have a certain 

 likeness to those of Smilicina and of Solomon's-Seal 

 but are shorter, more rounded, and heart-shaped at 

 base. The two-leaved stem bears a terminal raceme 

 of feathery white flowers, made on the plan of four. 



28 



Flower-of-May. Matdnthemum 

 Canadense 



