BOTANY. 79 



57, fig. 4), known as Meadow saffron or autumnal crocus, lias important 

 medicinal properties. The various parts of the plant referred to by the 

 letters will be readily intelligible. 



iSiib-order o. Mclaiithleoi. Perianth mostly persistent or withering away ; 

 the sepals distinct, or the claws rarely luiitcd. Styles three, separate. 

 Fruit a three-celled, three-partible or septicidal pod. Flowers frequently 

 unisexual. Rhizome fibrous. The most important genera are Melanthium, 

 Veratrum, Helonias, Tofieldia, &c. Cevadilla, an important medicinal 

 substance, is obtained from Helonias officinalis, and Veratrum sabadilla. 

 Veratrum album furnishes the white hellebore of the ancients ; this, with some 

 other species of Veratrum, yields veratrine. PI. 57, fig. 5, Veratrum album. 



Order 25. Liliace.e, the Lily Family. Flowers usually bisexual. 

 Perianth colored, in two rows, regular, with six divisions. Stamens six, 

 perigynous, inserted into the segments of the perianth ; anthers introrse. 

 Ovary free, three-celled ; ovules 00 ; style one ; stigma simple or three- 

 lobed. Fruit three-celled, either succulent or dry and capsular. Seeds 

 numerous, packed one above the other in one or two rows ; embryo in the 

 axis of fleshy albumen. Herbs, shrubs, or trees, with bulbs, or tubers, or 

 arborescent stems, or rhizomes ; leaves not articulated, usually narrow, with 

 parallel veins. They are found both in temperate and tropical climates. In 

 warm regions some of them are arborescent, as in the case of Dracaena ; others 

 are very succulent, as species of Aloe. 



Sub-order 1. Aphyllantheoi. Habit rush-like ; with membranous imbri- 

 cated bracts. The species of the sub-order characterize the vegetation of 

 New South Wales. 



Sub-order 2. Alo'mecB or Aloes tribe. Stem usually developed, arborescent, 

 leaves succulent. Examples : Sanseviera, Aloe, and Yucca. The drug 

 called Aloes, is the thickened juice of various species of Aloe, as A. vulgaris, 

 spicata. socotrina, tfcc. PI. 56, fig. 6, a-d. Aloe arborescens. 



Sub-order 3. Asparagecn. Fruit a few- seeded berry, two- to three-celled ; 

 seeds amphitropous, orthotropous, or anatropous. Stem usually fully 

 developed, arborescent, in some, cases branched, leaves often coriaceous and 

 permanent. Examples : Asparagus, Draccena, Smilacina, Clintonia, <fec. 

 PI. 51, fig. 1, Dracaena draco, a species of Dracaena from the East Indies, 

 from Avhich dragon's blood is obtained ; a, a very old tree ; ö, extremity of a 

 branch with floAvers ; c, a flower on a larger scale ; d, expanded flowers ; e, a 

 stamen ; /, pistil ; g, branch with fruit ; h, a seed ; i, vertical section of do. 

 A species from Brazil, D. brasiliensis, is figured on pi. 56, fig. 5, a-e. 



Sub-order 4. Couvallarlecc, Lily of the valley tribe. Stem developed as 

 a rhizome or tuber. Ex. Convallaria. 



Sub-order 5. Ajithericecc. Not bulbous, roots fascicled, or fibrous, leaves 

 not coriaceous, nor persistent. Examples : Asphodelus, Anthericum. 



Sub-order 6. Scilleoi. Bulbous, with the testa black and brittle. Scape 

 simple. Perianth six-sepalled or six-parted. Examples : Ornitliogalum, Scilla, 

 Allium. The bulb of Scilla esculenta or Squamash, is eaten by the Western 

 Indians. Album sativum is garlic ; A. cepa the onion. 



Sub-order 7. HermerocaUidecü. Bulbous plants, with a tubular perianth : 



79 



