92 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



ever, this plant is more likely to be known as "camass" from 

 the Indian term quamass applied to the edible bulbs. The 

 "grape hyacinths" are by birth natives of Europe but they 

 have become naturalized in some parts of our country. The 

 commonest is Muscari botryoides whose specific name, as 

 well as the customary common one, alludes to the clusters of 

 tiny, roundish, almost closed bells like a cluster of grapes. 

 From the flower, also, come such names as "blue-bells" and 

 "blue-bottle." The flowers of M. racemosa are also known 

 as "grape hyacinths", "starch hyacinth" and "pearls of Spain." 

 It is probable that starch has been made from this plant as 

 it has from so many other plants with underground storage 

 organs. In connection with the last name it may be recalled 

 that pearl was originally a term for an onion-bulb and this 

 probably explains the vernacular name. 



The species of yucca are the only lilyworts that share with 

 the smilaxes the quality of being evergreen. When the plants 

 are not known simply as "yuccas" they are usually called 

 "Spanish dagger" or "Spanish bayonet" in allusion to the 

 stiff leaves which in many species terminate in a point of 

 needlelike sharpness. Yucca baccata has an edible fruit which 

 the Indians of the Southwest call "hosh kawn." Some of 

 the yuccas have long whitish filaments along the edges of 

 the leaves which cause them to be known as "bear's thread," 

 "Adam's needle," "Eve's darning needle" and "silk grass." 

 P)Oth xiicca f/Iauca and )'. fihniicntosa are called "bear grass" 

 though so far as known bears have no connection with them. 

 Perhaps the name was originally bare grass from its habit 

 of growing in barren places. Yucca glauca is well called the 

 "soap-weed" for tlie rootstock has only to be crushed to yield 

 a fine substitute for soap. In certain ceremonies of the In- 

 dians it is always so used. This species is also known as 



