Ill] yUNCACEM. 313 



gardens for the beauty of their flowers. Amongst the latter 

 few are more showy than the Gloriosa {Methonica) superha 

 of Indian forests, with its dimbing, herbaceous stem, aided 

 by tendrils terminating the leaf-blades. 



The African genus Aloe (not the so-called American Aloe 

 {Agave) belonging to the Amaryllis Family) and the Adam's 

 Needle ( Yucca) belong to the Lily Family, as do the culti- 

 vated herbs Garlic, Onion {Alliiim)^ and Asparagus. 



Bowstring Hemp is a tenacious fibre obtained from the 

 leaves of an Indian species of Sanseviera. Pho7'mium 

 tenax of New Zealand yields a similar most valuable fibre. 



Peliosajithes Tefa, — a stemless perennial, with plaited 

 radical leaves, and small, green, racemose flowers, — repre 

 sents an Indian Sub-type in which the ovary is partially 

 inferior. The Sarsaparillas {Smilax) form a Tribe, some- 

 times regarded as a distinct Family, differing from the true 

 Lilies in having net-veined leaves, climbing stems, and small 

 dioecious flowers. They resemble the Yams {Dioscorea) in 

 appearance. The species are widely spread, and several 

 occur in India. 



103. Natural Ox^^x^Jtmcacece. — The Rush Family. 



Herbs. Perianth-leaves scarious. Stamens six. Ovary 

 superior. 



Type — -Junciis hifonius. 



A small, tufted, much branched, annual weed, with incon- 

 spicuous, solitary, or fascicled flowers scattered along the 

 stems in the axils of slender leafy bracts. 



This small Family scarcely difl"ers from the preceding, ex- 

 cepting in the dry texture of the small six-leaved perianth, and 

 in the very minute embryo. The species employed as Type 

 is a common, very widely spread weed, in places liable to 



