1994 



A TEXTBOOK OF THEORETICAL BOTANY 



i 



I'U;. 1926. — Eremiiius hiiii^^ei. 

 Inflorescence. 



The classification of the family has been worked out by Hutchinson, 

 who proposes provisionally to divide it into twenty-eight tribes. Since this 

 treatment is quite distinct from that employed by previous authors we shall 

 consider it in some detail, omitting only those tribes which contain rare or | 

 little-known genera. 



I. Rootstock a rhizome, roots fibrous or sometimes tuberous, 

 perennials or rarely annuals 



1. Heloniadeae. Rhizome short, leaves in radical tufts, flowers in dense 



spikes or racemes, ebracteate. Perianth segments five, mostly 

 small and white. Stamens six, hypogynous. Ovary trilocular, 

 fruit a capsule with loculicidal dehiscence, seeds tailed at one 

 or both ends. Helonias, Chionographis and Chamaelirium. 



2. Narthecieae. Rootstock short or a creeping rhizome. Radical leaves 



crowded, stem leaves short or absent. Flowers in spikes, racemes 

 or cymes, bracteate. Stamens twelve, six or three. Ovary 

 trilocular. Fruit a capsule with loculicidal or septifragal dehis- 

 cence. Probably an ancient group with 

 wide discontinuous distribution. Tofieldia, 

 Nartheciiim, Alestris. 

 There are four species of Nartheciiim of 

 which TV. ossifragiim (Bog Asphodel) 

 occurs in Britain. It is a typical bog 



Fig. 1927. — Asphodehis nimosus. Inflorescence. 



