HEX4NDRIA. MONOGYNIA. 221 



S23. ORNITHOGALUM. L, (Star of Bethle- 

 hem.) 



Corolla of 6 petals, erect, persistent, above 

 the middle, spreading. Filaments dilated at 

 the base r subulate. Capsule superior, round- 

 ish 3-celled. Seeds roun<lish, naked. 



Roots bulbous; scapes few-flowered, subumbellate, co- 

 rymbose, or racemose. 



Species. 1. O. iimbellatwn. Introduced; becoming- a 

 troublesome and inextinguisliable weed in moist meadows, 

 /orminp: exclusive plats. In tlie vicinity of Philadelphia. 



This extensive and polymorphous genus of near 50 spe- 

 cies is chiefly indigenous to the south Europe, fo Barbary, 

 Siberia, and the Cape of Good Rope- The bulbs of some 

 of the species, though not probably very palatable, have 

 been used for food in times of scarcity, and during the 

 existence of barbarous society. The roots of Ornithoga- 

 lum pilosum? are srill eaten by the Greeks of the Crimea, 

 accoi'ding to Pallas. 



324. LILlUxM. L, (Lily.) 



Corolla 6-petalled, campanulate; petals most- 

 ly reflected, marked with a longitudinal necta- 

 riferous line. Stamina slujrter than the style. 

 Stigma undivided. Capsule superior, valves 

 connected by cancellate hairs. Seeds flat. 



■Roots bulbous, bulbs squamose; scales soboliferous; 

 stems simple, leafy, leaves alternate or verticillate; flow- 

 ers subumbellate or p\ ramidally racemose, mostly cer- 

 nuous. 



Species. 1. L. Calesh.^i. 2. pud/cum. Ph. Apparently a 

 Fntilluria. 3. pensylvaniciim. Probably a hybrid of the 

 gardens, as 1 have understood it to bear imperfect flow- 

 ers. 4. *andimim. T. N". in Fras. Catal. 1813. Leaves 

 scattered, somewhat linear-oblong, acute, floral leaves ver- 

 ticillate; flowers ] to 5 terminal, erect, peduncles smooth; 

 corolla campanulate, petals lanceolate, unguiculate, alter- 

 nately narrower, spotted. — Obs. L. iimbeUatiim, Pursh, Fi. 

 Am.'l. p. 229. it has not the smallest affinity with L. con- 

 color of Salisbury, Parad. Lond. 47- The flower is of the 

 size and form of L. philadelphiciim to which it bears a 

 near afiinity, being of a deep scarlet, spotted with brown 

 towards the claws whicli are long and narrow, the 

 U2 



