326 THE STORY OF PLANT LIFE 



The scape is forked, with a bract below each 

 branch, the lowest bracts linear, leaflike, and as long 

 as the leaves. The flowers are erect, in a loose, 

 terminal corymb. They are purple outside, white 

 within (hence hicolor). The perianth is spreading, 

 with six oblong segments, which are blunt and 

 hollow. The stamens are included, not so long as 

 the perianth-segments, and inserted near the base. 

 The anther-stalks are woolly. The style is simple. 

 The fruit is a capsule, bluntly angled, three-valved, 

 and there are two shining, black seeds, with thick 

 white stalks. 



From 6 to i8 in. high, Simethis flowers in May 

 and June, and is a herbaceous perennial. 



Being variegated and having a more or less con- 

 spicuous appearance, several flowers being aggregated 

 into each corymb, the flowers are likely to be visited 

 by insects. Many Liliacese have drooping flowers. 

 In Simethis they are erect, and the anther-stalks are 

 woolly, a provision often made in honey flowers 

 adapted to insects. 



When produced the seeds which are small may be 

 dispersed by the wind. 



The only name by which this flower is known is 

 Variegated Simethis or simply Simethis. 



Simethis bicolor. — Note in Fig. 88 the tufted roots, 

 the long, linear, grass-like leaves, with stales below, and 

 the terminal corymb, borne on a forked scape with bracts 

 below each fork. The six stamens are placed above the 

 six petals. 



