32, LILIACEAE I3I 



Flowers in umbels, dioecious. Perianth-segments free. — Species q. Some 

 of tliem are used medicinally. [Tribe SMILACEAE.] Smilax Tourn. 



52. Perianth-segments free or almost so, more or less spreading. Stem herba- 



ceous. Ovary 3-celled. [Tribe ASPHODELEAE.] .... 53 

 Perianth-segments evidently united at their base or connivent into a long 

 tube, rarely almost free and not connivent into a tube, but then stem 

 woody, very seldom herbaceous plants growing upon trees and having 

 a i-celled ovary 66 



53. Anthers attached by the base or between the lobes of the base. . 54 

 Anthers attached by the back 62 



54. Anthers opening by terminal pores, sometimes prolonged into slits. Fila- 



ments thickened. Perianth blue, rarely white. Fruit a berry. Leaves 

 2-ranked, linear. Flowers in lax panicles. — Species 2, one native in 

 Madagascar and the neighbouring islands, the other one naturalized 

 in the Island of St. Helena. They are used as ornamental and medi- 

 cinal plants ; the berries are poisonous. [Subtribe dianellixae ] 



Dianella Lam. 



Anthers opening by longitudinal slits. Fruit a capsule. Leaves in several 



ranks or i — 2 only present. Flowers usually in racemes. ... 55 



55. Anthers without a pit at the base. Perianth more or less campanulate. 



Seeds woolly. Root-stock tuberous. Leaves i — 3, usually a single 

 leaf. — Species 50. South and Central Africa. Some are used as 

 ornamental or medicinal plants. [Subtribe eriosperminae.] 



Eriospermum Ja:q. 



Anthers attached to the filament in a small pit at the base. Perianth more 



or less rotate. "Subtribes anthericinae and asphodelinae.] . 56 



56. Perianth spirally twisted after flowering, blue violet or red. Ovules 2 



in each ovary-cell 57 



Perianth not twisted, usually white. Ovules 4 or niore in each ovary-cell. 58 



57. Stamens free or the inner attached to the perianth ; filaments flattened. 



Perianth blue. Stem very short, 2 — 3-flowered. — Species i. South 



Africa (Cape Colony) Nanolirion Benth. 



Stamens attached to the perianth ; filaments thread-shaped. Stem long, 

 many-flowered. — Species 4. South Africa and Madagascar. Caesia R. Br. 



58. Ovules many in each cell. Filaments short and broad. Perianth funnel- 



shaped, with erect segments. — Species 3. West Africa. {Debesia 



Kuntze) Acrospira Welw. 



Ovules 4 — 8 in each cell. Filaments thread-shaped or slightly broadened 

 in the middle 59 



59. Stamens as long as or longer than the perianth. Flowers almost sessile. 60 

 Stamens shorter than the perianth. Flowers distinctly stalked . . 61 



60. Perianth-segments erect. Leaves broadly elhptical. — Species i. Southern 



West Africa Verdickia De Wild. 



Perianth-segments spreading Leaves linear or lanceolate. — Species 15. 

 Central Africa. (Under Chlorophytmn Ker). . . . Dasystachys Bak. 



