LILY TRIBE 243 



But we must return to our lowly Lily, which, during May and June, is 

 blooming in many a pleasant wood in England, though rarely in those of 

 Scotland. The stalk is about a foot high ; and the fragi^ant pure white, 

 almost globular little bells, hang drooping in a long one-sided cluster. The 

 large leaves are rarely more than two in number, and scarlet berries succeed 

 the blossoms. The flower had the old names of Conval Lily, May Lily, and 

 Liriconfancie. It is indigenous to most of the countries of Europe from Italy 

 to Lapland, and is very abundant in the woods of France and Germany. 

 The German and Dutch names for the plant both signify May-flower, and the 

 French call it Muguet de Mai, as well as Lis de FalUes. It is termed in Italy 

 Mughetto and Giglio Convallio. 



The blossoms of this plant, distilled in wine, were supposed to be 

 eflScacious in curing many complaints. Parkinson says: — "The flowers of 

 the white kinde are often used with those things that helpe to strengthen 

 the memorie, and to procure ease to apoplectic persons. Camerarius setteth 

 downe the manner of making an oyle of the flowers hereof, which, he says, 

 is very eff"ectual to ease the paines of the gout, and such like diseases, to be 

 used outwardly, which is this : ' Have filled a glass with the flowers, and 

 being well stopped, set it for a moneth's space in an ante's hill, and after 

 being drayned cl3are, set it by for use.'" Ettmuller recommended the 

 flowers to be dried and powdered to make a snuff good for the cure of head- 

 ache ; and in Germany the flowers mingled with wine are still used for this 

 pain. The Hanoverians are so fond of their lowly wild Lily, that on Whit- 

 Monday large troops of merry-making people go forth to the neighbouring 

 woods to gather it ; and when evening falls on their homes, there is scarce a 

 house in Hanover which is not adorned with a large bouquet of these flowers. 

 A pleasant perfume is made in some countries from the blossoms of the Lily 

 of the Valley. 



4. May Lily {Maianthemum). 



May Lily {M. convallaria). — Leaves alternate, heart-shaped, those from 

 the rootstock on long stalks, those from the stem short-stalked or sessile. 

 Flowers white and fragrant, almost erect, in a terminal raceme on a wavy 

 stem. This very rare plant is wild in but few places in our country, and 

 these restricted to England. It has been recorded from Yorkshire, Lancashire 

 and Bedfordshire. It flowers in May and June, and the blossoms are 

 succeeded by white berries, about a quarter of an inch in diameter. It is 

 also known as Smilacina bifolia, and is occasionally referred to as False 

 Solomon's Seal. 



5. Solomon's Seal {Polygondtum). 



L Narrow-leaved Solomon's Seal (P. verticilldtum). — Leaves lan- 

 ceolate, whorled ; stem erect, angular ; rootstock thick, creeping. This is a 

 very rare plant of woods and glens in Forfar and Perth, and of one locality 

 in Northumberland. It has an angled stem two or three feet high, and 

 numerous soft leaves growing in whorls of from three to six. Its whitish 

 drooping flowers are constricted in the middle, and expand in June. They 

 are succeeded by red berries. 



31—2 



