LiLiALES.] LILTALES. 19/ 



Alliance XVI. LILIALES. — The Lill\l Alll\xce. 



Diagnosis. — Hypogynous^ bisexual, hexapetaloid Endogens, uith copious albumen. 



These are the centre of the di\dsion of Endogens with complete flowers free from the 

 ovary. They are known from the Xyrids by their sepals and petals being all equally 

 coloured ; from the Jimcals by theii* tender highly developed flowers ; and from the 

 Alismals by their abundant albumen. To Palms they often approach in habit, and even 

 in the separation of their sexes ; but the genera described by botanists as monoecious or 

 dioecious seem to be never truly diclinous, the distinct rudiments of one sex always 

 accompanying the perfect state of another. By the GiUiesiads they seem to show a ten- 

 dency to assume the glumaceous condition ; Pontederads are e\adently on the Umits of 

 Ahsmals, by their genus Leptanthus ; Juncals are brought into the closest proximity by 

 the Aphyllanths among Lihes, and so are Amaryllids by means of the Conantherese of 

 the same great Order. Their undoubted accordance xN-ith Dictyogens, in many essen- 

 tial particulars, enables them to extend their frontier to that of the vast mass of Exo- 

 gens ; and their wood, which does certainly, in Yucca and Dracaena, arrange itself 

 in circles, confirms the tendency of the Lilials towards a junction mth the same class. 



Natural Orders of Lilials.' 

 Perianth surrounded by a cahjcine involucre, the inner bracts "1 g^ GiLLiESiACEiE. 



of which are coloured andpetaloid j * 



Perianth mdced, flat when withering. Anthers turned 0"^^^"''<^^^'l61. Melanthace^. 



styles distinct; albumen fleshy 

 erianfh naked, flat when withe 

 Styles consolidated. Albumen fleshy 

 erianth naked, circinate i 

 wards. Albumen mealy 



Perianth naked, flat when withering. Anthers turned inwards. ^Q^, Liliace.e 

 Perianth naked, circinate ivhen tvithering. Anthers turned ^'"-1 53^ PoNTEDERACEiE. 



o2 



