Liriope LILIACEAE Polygonatum 



Key to the Species 



Lvs. broad, 10-12 mm. across, not longer than the scape 1. L. muscari 



Lvs. narrow, 4-6 mm. across, longer than the scape 2. L. spicata 



1. Liriope muscari (Decne.) Bailey Big Blue Lily-turf (B.M. 205). Lvs. basal, scapes 

 to 8dm. high; fls. lilac-purple, VI-VIII; fr. black, IX-X. China, Japan; locally 

 in An., Che., Ki., Ku. Forest shade. 



2. Liriope spicata Lour. Creeping Lily-turf 'i-H'f (Mai Men Tung; Winter-wheat) 

 (B.M. 205). Lvs. basal; scapes 1-3 dm. high; fls. lilac-white, VI-VIII; fr. black, 

 IX-X. Eastern Asia; locally in An., Che., Ki., Ku. Forest shade. Fig. 482. 



19. Ophiopogron Ker Lily-Turf jftl^g (Yen Chieh Ts'ao Shu) 

 Stemless narrow-lvd. evergreen sod-forming perennial herbs: fls. in a spike-like 

 raceme terminating a leafless scape: perianth tapering to a jointed pedicel; stamens 

 with pointed anthers, on short filaments; ovary inferior: fr. a blue one-seeded berry. 

 About 20 species, in Asia; 5 in China. (Greek: ophis, serpent, and pogon, beard.) 



1. Ophiopogron japonicus (L.f.) Ker Dwarf Lily-turf ?&|Sf#: (Yen Chieh Ts'ao; By- 

 the-steps Herb) (B.M. 205). Lvs. basal; scapes 8-15 cm. high; fls. pale lilac, VI- 

 VII; fr. blue, IX-X. Eastern Asia; locally in An., Che., Hun., Hup., Ki., Ku. 

 Forest shade. Fig. 483. 



20. Aletris Linn. Star-Grass &&$&%& (Fen T'iao Erh Ts'ai Shu) 

 Scapose perennial bitter fibrous-rooted herbs with basal linear (ours) or lanceolate 



lvs.: fls. in an elongated spike-like raceme, terminating the scape: perianth oblong 

 (ours) or campanulate, roughened and pubescent (ours) without, shortly 6-cleft, adnatc 

 to the ovary below: fr. a 3-celled many-seeded capsule enclosed by the persistent 

 perianth. About 12 species, in eastern Asia and eastern North America; 10 in China. 

 (Greek: Aletris, a female slave who ground corn, referring to apparent mealiness of 

 the fls. in some species. The roots of our species produce abundant mycorrhizae.) 



1. Aletris spicata (Thunb.) Franch. ffi$k%M (Fen T'iao Erh Ts'ai; Vermicelli Plant) 

 (Mak.F.726). Lvs. basal; scape to 8 dm. high; fls. pinkish, IV-V; ovary partly 

 inferior. Eastern Asia; locally in An., Hon., Hup., Ki., Ku. Grassland. 



21. Polygronatum Adans. Solomon's Seal MWM (Huang Ching Shu) 

 Leafy stemmed perennial herbs from creeping knotted scarred rootstocks: stems 



naked below, bearing lvs. and fls. above: lvs. alternate or verticillate, ovate or lanceolate, 

 nearly sessile or half -clasping, nerved: fls. pendulous, 1-several on axillary jointed 

 pedicels: perianth tubular, greenish, with 6 short spreading lobes; stamens 6; ovary 

 3-celled: fr. a black or blue globular berry. 30 species, in the north temperate zone; 

 26 in China. (Greek: polys, many, and gonatos, knee, referring to the numerous 

 joints of the rootstock.) Fig. 484. 



1. Polygonatum officinale All. Hffrf (Huang Ching Ts'ao; Yellow-essence Herb) 

 (JLSB 14:554). Stout, leafy, to 8 dm. high; fls. white, tinged greenish, V-VI; 

 peduncles short and stout. Eurasia; locally in An., Che., Ki., Ku. Forest shade. 



A closely related form which may prove to be undescribed, occurs in Anhwei and Chekiang. 



518 



