534 LILIACE^E. (LILY FAMILY.) 



fruit, etc., near.y as in Melanthium. Somewhat pubescen perennials, with 

 simple stems from a thickened base producing coarse fibrous roots (very poison- 

 ous), 3-ranked, plaited and strongly veined leaves, and racemed-panicled dull 

 or dingy flowers , in summer. (Name from vere, truly, and ater, black.) 



1. V. viride, Ait, (AMERICAN WHITE HELLEBORE. INDIAN POKE.) 

 Stem stout, vert/ leafy to the top (2-7 high); leaves broadly oval, pointed, 

 sheath-clasping ; panicle pyramidal, the dense spike-like racemes spreading ; 

 perianth yellowish-green, moderately spreading, the segments ciliate-serrulate ; 

 ovary glabrous; capsule many-seeded. Swamps and low grounds, common. 



2. V. Woodii, Robbing. Stem slender, sparingly leafy (2 - 5 high) ; leaves 

 ob/anceolate, only the lowest sheathing; panicle very narrow ; perianth greenish- 

 purple, ivith entire segments ; ovary tomentose, soon glabrate ; capsule few-seeded. 

 Woods and hilly barrens, S. Ind. to Mo. 



31. STENAnSTTHIUM, Gray. 



Flowers polygamous. Perianth spreading; the sepals narrowly lanceolate, 

 tapering to a point from the broader base, where they are united and coherent 

 with the base of the ovary, not gland-bearing, persistent, much longer than the 

 short stamens. Anthers, capsules, etc., nearly as in Veratrum. Seeds nearly 

 wingless. Smooth, with a wand-like leafy stem from a bulbous base, long and 

 grass-like conduplicate-keeled leaves, and numerous small flowers in compound 

 racemes, forming a long terminal panicle; in summer. (Name composed of 

 ffTtvos, narrow, and &v9os, flower, from the slender sepals and panicles.) 



1 . S. angustifblium, Gray. Stem leafy (3 - 4 high), very slender ; leaves 

 2 - 3" broad ; panicle elongated, nearly simple, very open, with slender flexuous 

 branches ; flowers nearly sessile or the fertile on short pedicels ; sepals linear- 

 lanceolate (white), 2 - 3" long ; capsule strongly reflexed, narrowly oblong-ovate, 

 with spreading beaks. In the Alleghanies from Va. to S. C. 



2. S. roblistum, Watson. Resembling the last ; stem stout, leafy, erect 

 (3 - 5 high) ; leaves 4-10" broad ; panicle or raceme often 2 long, frequently 

 compound with numerous slender branches ; sepals (white or green) .3 - 4" long ; 

 capsule erect, ovate, with recurved beaks. Penn. to S. C., Ohio and Teuu. 



32. ZYGADENUS, Michx. 



Flowers perfect or polygamous. Perianth withering-persistent, spreading ; 

 the petal-like oblong or ovate sepals 1 - 2-glandular near the more or less nar- 

 rowed but not uuguieulate base, which is either free, or united and coherent 

 with the base of the ovary Stamens free from the sepals and about their length. 

 Anthers, styles, and capsule nearly as in Melanthium. Seeds angled, rarely 

 at all margined. Very smooth and somewhat glaucous perennials, with simple 

 stems from creeping rootstocks or coated bulbs, linear leaves, and rather large 

 panic-led green ish-white flowers ; in summer. (Name composed of vy6s, a yoke, 

 and a$T]i>, a <jl<nul, the glands being sometimes in pairs.) 



* Glands on tlie perianth conspicuous. 

 i- Bootstock creeping ; glands 2, orbicular, above the broad claw. 



1 Z. glaberrimus, Michx. Stems 1 -3 high; leaves grass-like, chan- 

 nelled, conspicuously nerved, elongated, tapering to a point ; panicle pyramidal, 





