1998 



A TEXTBOOK OF THEORETICAL BOTANY 



the tube. Ovary trilocular. Fruit 

 a berry. Convallaria and several 

 little-known genera. 



Convallaria comprises a single species, 

 C. majalis (Fig. 1932) (Lily of the 

 Valley), which is common in 

 north temperate regions, including 

 Britain. It is found chiefly in 

 woods. The flowers are homo- 

 gamous and pollinate themselves 

 in the absence of insects. They 

 are often cultivated, a large- 

 flowered strain being extensively 

 used for forcing for winter flower- 

 ing. 



Aspidistreae. Rootstock a rhizome, 

 leaves radical or on a short stem. 

 Flowers solitary or small and in 

 dense bracteate spikes. Perianth 

 trimerous or tetramerous, cam- 

 panulate or broadly tubular. 

 Stamens six or eight in number, 

 inserted on the perianth tube. 

 Ovary trilocular or tetralocular. 

 Fruit a berry. Rohdea, Aspidistra. 



* 



Fic;. 1932. — Cuuval/iiriii majalis. 

 Lilv of the Valley. Inflorescence. 



F^IG. 1933. — Aspidistra Jiirida. Flowers which are borne in the 

 axil of a scale leaf at ground level. On the right, flower in 

 section showing the stigmatic lobes which almost block 

 entrance to the stamens which are attached to the perianth 

 below. 



