218 



TRILLIACEvE. 



[DiCfYOGENS 



Order LXXI. TRILLIACEJE.— Parids. 



TrilliaceEe, DC. Propr. Med. 294. (1816) ; A. Gray, Ann. Lye. N. York, 4. 106.— Paridese, Link Handb. 

 1. 277. (1829) ; Etidl. Gen. p. 153 ; Meisn. Gen. p. 403. 



Diagnosis. — Dictyogeiis loiih bisexual tripetaloideoicsjlotvers, lialf consolidated carpels and 



axile placentcB. 



Simple -stemmed herbaceous plants with tubers or r 

 branous netted leaves. Flowers large, terminal, 

 solitary, 0. Sepals 3, herbaceous. Petals 3, 

 much larger, coloured, or herbaceous. Sometimes 

 oue-fom-th is added to thek' parts. Stamens 6-10 ; 

 filaments subulate ; anthers linear, ^^'ith cells on their 

 edges, and the cormective extended beyond them. 

 Ovary free, 3- 5-celled ; styles as many, distinct ; 

 stigmas inconspicuous; ovules 00, in 2 rows, anatropal, 

 ascending. Fruit succulent, 3- 5-celled. Seeds 00, 

 with a leathery brownish skin ; embryo minute, in 

 fleshy albumen. 



These plants have been generally included in Sar- 

 saparillas, from wliich they differ somewhat as Spider- 

 worts from Lihes. 



They are fovmd in thickets in the temperate parts of 

 Europe, Asia, and North America. 



Paris quadi'ifoha is reckoned a narcotic acrid poison. 

 The root of Medeola vii-ginica is emetic and diuretic. 

 Trilhum cernuum and sessile have rhizomes that are 

 violently emetic, and their frvut is suspicious ; the 3 

 juice of the berries mixed with alum gives a blue 

 colouring matter. 



GENERA. ^ 



Paris, Linn. 

 Demidovia, Hoffm. 

 Trillium, Mill. 



Phyllantherum, Rafin. 



Delostiyls, Rafin. 

 ? Medeola, Gronov, 



Gyromia, Nutt. 



liizomes, and verticillate mem- 



Fig. CXLIX. 



Numbers. Gen. 4. Sp. 30. 



MelanihacecB. 

 Position. — SmilaccEe. — Trilliace^. — Roxburgliiacese. 

 Commelynacece. 



Fig. CXLIX.— Paris quadrifolia. 1. A transverse section of an ovary; 2. pei-pendicular section of 

 the ripe fruit ; 3. longitudinal section of a seed ; 4. an anther. 



