164 HANDBOOK OF AMARYLLIDE^. 



anthers linear, versatile. Ovary oblong-cyliudrical, rostrate, 3- 

 celled ; ovules many, superposed ; style subulate ; stigma capitate, 

 3-lobed. Fruit an oblong capsule, loculicidally 3-valved. Seeds 

 discoid, with a thin black testa. — Monocarpic and acaulescent, 

 rarely polycarpic with a produced trunk. Leaves densely rosulate, 

 more or less fleshy and usually firm in texture, with a pungent 

 end-spine and copious horny marginal prickles. Inflorescence 

 densely subspicate or a thyrsoid panicle ; peduncle with only 

 reduced leaves ; flowers greenish yellow, proterandrous. 



Key to Subgenera founded on inflorescence, 



EuAGAVE. Flowers in clusters, which are placed at the end of the 

 branches of a deltoid thyrsoid panicle. 



LiTTiEA (Tagl.). Flowers in pairs, forming a dense cylindrical 

 subspicate inflorescence. 



Manfeeda (Salisb.). Flowers solitary, forming a lax simple sub- 

 spicate raceme or spike. 



Key to Series and Groups founded on the shape, size and texture of 



the leaves. 



Series I. Coriaceo-carnos^. Leaves persistent, both rigid and 

 thick in texture, not at all flexible. End-spine large and 

 pungent. 



Group 1. Filifer^. Edge of the leaf splitting off into distinct 

 threads Sp. l-o. 



Group 2. Margin ATiE. Edge of the leaf furnished with a con- 

 tinuous toothed horny border from top to bottom. 



Leaves ensiform. 



GrandifoHse . . . . Sp. 6-10. 

 ParvifolicT .... Sp. 11-16. 



Leaves oblong- or oblanceolate-spathulate. 



Grandifoh® .... Sp. 17-20. 

 Parvifolise .... Sp. 21-23. 



Group 3. SuBMARGiNAT^. Edge of the leaf furnished with a con- 

 tinuous toothed horny border in the upper half or third, but 

 not down to the base. 



Parvifoliae .... Sp. 24-30. 

 Grandifolise .... Sp. 31-34. 



figures and descriptions of new species in ' Hort. Bot. Panorm.' ; and Terraciano's 

 Synopsis (1885) of the species cultivated at Naples. My own descriptions were 

 mostly drawn up from the living plants at Kew, and in the collections of Mr. 

 Wilson Saunders at Keigate and Mr. J. T. Peacock at Hammersmith. Besides 

 the published figures, there are at Kew sets of photographs made from the col- 

 lections of Mr. Wilson Saunders, Baron van Ellemeet, and M. van Bemmele. 



