LILY FAMILY 5 1 



4. VERATRUM. 



1. V. californicum Dur. False Hellebore. Stems stout 

 and leafy, 3 to 6 ft. high, bearing a large panicle of greenish 

 flowers. Leaves ovate or elliptic, acute, sheathing at base, 

 6 to 12 in. long, 2 to 6 in. wide, the upper ones smaller. 

 Flowers Yz in. long, nearly sessile on the branches of the pani- 

 cle; stamens shorter than the segments. 



The leafy clumps of False Hellebore are characteristic of 

 wet, sub-alpine meadows and stream banks. Its large leaves 

 have given it the name of "Skunk Cabbage," but that is a very 

 different plant and does not grow in California. The shoots 

 of the False Hellebore are poisonous to stock but they are 

 seldom eaten. Veratrum is closely related to Tofieldia and 

 Zygadenus, as is indicated by the 3 distinct styles. 



5. CHLOROGALUM. 



1. C. pomeridianum Kunth. Soap Plant. Stem 2 to 5 ft. 

 high. Leaves mainly in a basal tuft, numerous, ^ to 2 ft. 

 long, T / 2 to V/z in. broad, with wavy margins. Flowers narrow, 

 24 in. long, borne along the few long branches of a spreading 

 panicle. Perianth-segments distinct, linear, white, purple- 

 veined. Stamens 6. Capsule top-shaped, 3-lobed. 



The Soap Plant is so named because of its large, sapon- 

 aceous, fibrous-coated bulb, which forms a lather with water 

 and may be used in washing. Only the tuft of coarse, grass- 

 like leaves are seen during the spring, but in late summer the 

 tall, flowering stalks shoot up and unfold their delicate 

 flowers, which, however, open only in the afternoon. It is 

 abundant at altitudes under 5000 ft. 



6. ALLIUM. Onion. 



Odorous plants with simple stems (scapes), each stalk 

 ending in a bracted umbel of pediceled flowers. Leaves few, 

 grass-like, nearly basal. Perianth of 6 nearly equal distinct 

 segments, each with a stamen attached to its base. Ovary 

 superior, globose, developing into a 3-lobed 6-seeded capsule. 



Stamens exserted from the perianth. 



Stems flattened 1. A. validum. 



Stems round; flowers light rose-color 2. A. sanbomii. 



Stamens not exserted from the perianth. 



Flowering stems 2 to 16 in. high 3. A. campanulatum. 



Flowering stems very short; high mountains. 



Bracts 3; segments very acute 4. A. tribracteatum. 



Bracts mostly 2; segments obtuse 5. A. parvum. 



