176 UVULARIA SESSILIFOLIA. SESSILE-LEAVED BELL-WORT. 



seems to be no meaning to this name, and it might as well 

 be dropped. 



The botanical name, Uviilaria, puzzles the commentators. 

 Prof. Wood says that the name is from the Latin uvula, the 

 palate, because "the flower depends like that organ." Dr. Gray, 

 in his " Manual," gives the same etymology ; but in " Field, 

 Forest, and Garden Botany," he adds that the application is 

 obscure ; and a similar statement is made by most authors. 

 It seems much more probable, however, that the name is de- 

 rived from uvula, a little grape, as in many of the plants which, 

 like our present species, were once classed with Polygonatum, 

 the fruit is a berry, bearing some resemblance to the berries 

 of a grape. 



The Sessile-Leaved Bell-Wort does not seem to extend south- 

 ward below South Carolina, but towards the northeast it is 

 found up to and even beyond the limits of the United States. 

 Westward it is found in the same latitudes, until it reaches our 

 western desert. It is not, however, included in Mr Arthur's 

 list of Iowa plants, although it is mentioned by Dr. Parry in 

 Owen's Geological Survey of Iowa and Minnesota. It is re- 

 ported in Nebraska by Prof. Aughey, and it appears also iif 

 Arkansas, according to Prof. Lesquereux, but has not yet been 

 found in the intervening state of Kansas. 



Explanation of the Plate — i. Complete plant. — 2. Outline of a leaf, somewhat en- 

 larged. — 3. Seed-vessel, nearly mature. — 4. Cross-section of seed-vessel. 



