262 FLORA HISTORICA 



SESSILE TRILLIUM. Trillium Sessile. 



Natural Order Sannentacece. Asparagi, Juss. A Genus 

 of the Hexandria Trigynia Class. 



Each land its flower bath given, 



To form this fair young nursery for heaven ! 



T.Moore. 



This singular tribe of plants we owe to the dis- 

 covery of a new world, as the five species hitherto 

 made known are all indigenous to North America 

 exclusively : we cannot, therefore, meet with them 

 in the pleasure-grounds without having our mind 

 conveyed back to the period when the perseverance 

 of Columbus overcame all the obstacles and difficul- 

 ties thrown in his way. to prevent his glorious plan 

 of enlarging our knowledge of the earth, and en- 

 riching the known world with unknown produce. 



The name of Trillium is derived from the num- 

 ber of three, because the plant has three leaves, a 

 calyx divided into three, a corolla with three petals, 

 that shelter three styles, which conduct the farina 

 into a three-celled capsule. The specific name of 

 Sessile is given to this species of Trillium, because 

 the flowers sit on the stalk without peduncles. It 

 was first introduced into this country in the year 



