DOWNY DISPORUM 



A bed in full bloom makes a fretwork of white upon 

 a carpet of shining green. The blossoms are in full 

 glory in middle and later May. In autumn the same 

 green carpet is dotted with clusters of small, pale-red, 

 speckled berries. 



DOWNY DISPORUM 



Prosdrtcs lanugindsa. Dispbrmn lamigindsum 



m 



From the Greek prosartao, to hang upon; in allusion to 

 the suspended ovules. Disporum, two-seeded, because 

 of the two ovules in each cell of the ovary. 



Perennial. Moist, rich woods. Ontario to Washington, 

 south to New York and Tennessee. Frequent in northern 

 Ohio. April, May. 



Rootstock. — Slender, creeping; with tufts of fibrous 

 roots. 



Stem. — Twelve to eighteen inches high, sheathed below; 

 the upper part unequally twice or thrice forked; downy. 



Leaves. — Alternate, sessile, one and a half to three 

 inches long, marked with three to five parallel veins, 

 ovate-oblong or lanceolate, acuminate, minutely downy 

 beneath, rounded at base, entire or slightly ruffled at 

 margin. 



Flowers. — Yellowish green, at first bell-like, later 

 spreading; one or two at the end of the branches. 



Perianth. — Six divisions; each division Hnear-lanceo- 

 late, a Httle broadened in the middle, with a nectar- 

 bearing pit at the base. 



Stamens. — Six, inserted at the base of the perianth, 

 half the length of the flower; filaments threadlike; an- 

 thers greenish, extrorse. 



Pistil. — Ovary three-celled; style slender, three-cleft. 



Fruit, — A red berry, long oval or oblong. 



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