LlLIACEiE. (lily FAMILY.) 115 



colored saccate perianth, ami lax often twining scape. The short perianth tube contracted 

 at the throat and the nearly sessile ovary separates it from Brevoortia. 



5. BREVOORTIA, Wood. 



Periantli-tube broad, G-saccate at base, deep scarlet, several times longer than the short 

 erect or reflexed yellowish limb. Stamens 3, alternate with three broad truncate stam- 

 inodia; antliors basifixed, nearly sessile. Capsule long-stipitate. 



1. B. coccinea, Wat. Scape erect, 1 to 3 ft. high, with reddish bracts; pedicels G 



to 15, an inch long or less; flowers 12 to 16 lines long. — Sometimes called Vegetable Fire 



Cracker. 



6. CAMASSIA, Lindl. 



Perianth-segments narrow, widely spreading, mostly deciduous. Style thread-like, 

 the base persistent. Flowers in a loose raceme. 



1. C. esculenta, Lindl. (Wild Hyacinth or Camass). Scape stout, 1 to 2 ft. 

 high; leaves flat, 3 to 8 lines broad; pedicels mostly shorter than the dark -blue (rarely 

 white) flowers; the perianth-segments 7 to 15 lines long, a little exceeding the stamens. 



The tunicated bulb is an article of food among the Indians. 



7. CHLOROGALUM, Kunth. 



Flowers white or pinkish, in loose paniculate racemes; bulbs with membranous or 

 densely fdirous coats. 



C. pomeridianum, Kunth. (SoapEoot.) Bulb large, thickly coated with coarse 

 brown fibers; stem and spreading panicle 1 to 3 ft. high. Flowers purple-veined, 8 to 10 

 lines long on spreading pedicels 2 to 9 lines long. 



The bulb coats are iised to stuff mattresses. 



8. SMILACINA, Desf. False Solomon's Seal. 

 Flowers small white, trimerous, with minute scarious bracts, in a racemose panicle or 

 simple raceme on an erect leafy stem. Stamens at the base; filaments subulate; the 

 short antiiers versatile. Style short, persistent; stigma 3-lobed. 



1. S. amplexicaulis, Nutt. Leaves pubescent, ovate to lanceolate, rarely at all 

 acuminate, mostly clasping at base; style nearly equaling the ovary; berries reddish. 



2. S. stellata, Desf. Leaves smooth or pubescent, lanceolate, acutish, closely 

 clasping, usually ascending and folded; raceme simple, few-flowered, about an inch long; 

 perianth-segments 2 or 3 lines long exceeding the pedicels; berry 3 lines broad, blue- 

 black. 



3. S. sessilifolia, Nutt. Taller than the last (a foot or two higli) leaves acumi- 

 nate, usually flat and spreading; raceme larger, the pedicels 2 to 7 lines long; berry 3 to 

 5 lines in diameter, blue-black. 



9. M AI ANTHEM UM, Weber. 

 Flowers white, in a simple narrow raceme; perianth 4-parted; stamens 4. Leaves 2 

 or 3, with cordate base. Berry red. Otherwise as Smilacina. 



