Xll KEY TO THE GENERA. 



^■■\^^ Qiiules 2-3, iiiedial. 



48. Vagaeia. — Perianth funnel-shaped ; segments narrow. 

 Leaves lorate. Ovary 3-celled. — Syria. 



49. EuRYCLES. — Perianth with a slender tube and broad seg- 

 ments. Leaves broad, petioled. Ovary 3-celled. — JMahiya, Aiistralia: 



50. Calostemma. — Perianth funnel-shaped. Ovary 1-celled. 

 Leaves various. — Australia. 



Suborder II. Alstr(emerie^. — Root of fleshy fibres; rootstock 

 none (except in Ixiolirion). Inflorescence a simple or compound 

 umbel. Flowering stems leafy. 



''' Bootstock bulbous. 



51. Ixiolirion. — Perianth-segments subequal. Stem erect. — 

 Western Asia. 



"^'^ Rootstuck none. 



52. Alstrcemeria. — Three outer segments of perianth different 

 from three inner, and the la^tter unequal. Stem erect. Ovary 

 S-ceWed.— Brazil, CJdli. 



53. BoMAREA. — Three outer segments of perianth different from 

 three inner, the latter equal. Stem usually elongated, sarmentose. 

 Ovary 3-celled. — Mexico, S. America. 



54. LEONTocmR. — Segments of perianth subequal. Ovary 

 1-celled.— C7A//i. 



Suborder III. Agave.e. — Inflorescence racemose, spicate or panicled, 

 not umbellate. Leaves usually rigid, fleshy, spine -edged, 

 aggregated in a dense rosette at the base ef the peduncle. 



''•' Leaves coniparatively thin, Jieither spine-edyed nor spine-pointed. 

 65. PoLiANTHEs. — Inflorcsceuce a lax simple spike. Perianth 

 white, with a long curved subcylindrical tube, and short segments. 

 — Mexico . 



56. Prc(n^^hJanthes. — Inflorescence a lax raceme. Perianth 

 greenish brown, with short segments, and a tube abruptly curved 

 and dilated at the middle. — Mexico. 



57. Bravoa. — Inflorescence laxly spicate or racemose. Perianth 

 red or white, with a curved subcylindrical tube, and very short 

 segments . — Mexico. 



58. Beschorneria. — Inflorescence a simple or panicled raceme. 

 Perianth greenish red, with scarcely any tube, and long oblanceolate 

 segments. — Mexico. 



59. DoRYANTHEs. — Iiifloresceiice a capitulum or thyrsoid panicle. 

 Flowers briglit red, with scarcely any tube, and long narrow falcate 

 segments. — E. Australia. 



''"'' Leaves thick, fleshy, usually sp)ine-edged and spiyie-jwinted. 



60. Agave. — Perianth funnel-shaped ; tube short. Filaments 

 long, filiform. — Trop. America, especially Mexico, Southern Utiited 

 States. 



61. FuRCRiEA. — Perianth white, rotate. Filaments strumose at 

 the base. — Troj). America. 



