LILY FAMILY. 439 



S. rbseus, Micbx. Stem l-2 high ; leaves green, finely ciliate, and 

 with the few branches beset with more short and fine bristly hairs ; flower 

 rose-purple, on a less bent stalk ; anthers 2-horried , stigma 3-cleft. Simi- 

 lar range. 



6. SMILACINA, FALSE SOLOMON'S SEAL. (Name a diminu- 

 tive of Smilax, which these plants do not resemble.) Woods or low 

 grounds ; white flowers late spring. 



* Flowers in a terminal panicle ; stamens exserted. 



S. racemdsa, Desf. FALSE SPIKENARD. 2 high, minutely downy, leafy 

 to the top; the oblong or lance-oval leaves ciliate, pointed at each end; 

 flowers small (sometimes pinkish), crowded in a compound raceme ; the 

 divisions of perianth narrow ; berries pale red and speckled. Canada, S. 



* * Flowers in a simple small raceme ; stamens included. 



S. stellata, Desf. Moist places, N.; l-2 high, smooth, or the 7-12 

 lance-oblong leaves minutely downy when young ; raceme several-flow- 

 ered ; berries blackish. 



S. trif61ia, Desf. Cold bogs N.; 3'-6' high, smooth, with mostly 3 

 oblong leaves tapering to a sheathing base ; raceme loose, few-flowered ; 

 berries red. 



7. MAIANTHEMUM. (Greek: mayflower.} 



M. Canadense, Desf. In moist woods and on banks N.; 3M>' high ; 

 stem bearing 2 (sometimes 3) heart-shaped leaves, and a short raceme of 

 small flowers ; berries red. Common. 



8. CONVALLARIA, LILY OF THE VALLEY. (Name altered 

 from the Latin Lilium convallium, of which the English name is a 

 translation.) Flowers late spring. 



C. majalis, Linn. The only true species, cult, everywhere, from Eu., 

 and wild on the higher Alleghanies ; its small, sweet-scented, white 

 flowers familiar. (Lessons, Fig. 113.) 



9. POLYGONATUM, SOLOMON'S SEAL. (Greek: many-jointed.) 

 The English name is from the rootstocks, the impression of the seal 

 being the scar left by the death and separation of the stem of a former 

 year ; Lessons, Fig. 99.) Stem recurving or turned to one side. Flow- 

 ers late spring and early summer. 



P. bif!6rum, Ell. SMALLER S. Wooded banks ; l-3 high ; the 

 ovate-oblong or lance-oblong leaves nearly sessile and glaucous, or mi- 

 nutely whitish-downy beneath ; peduncles mostly 2-flowered ; filaments 

 roughened, borne above the middle of the tube. 



P. gigantfeum, Dietr. LARGER S. Alluvial grounds N.; 3-8 high, 

 smooth ; leaves ovate, partly clasping ; peduncles 2-8-flowered ; filaments 

 smooth and naked, borne on the middle of the tube. 



10. ASPIDISTRA. (Greek: a small round shield, alluding to the 

 shape of the flower.) 



A. /tirida, Ker. China; a popular florist's plant, grown for the stiff, 

 evergreen, shining, striate-green (or white-striped), oblong-lanceolate, 

 sharp-pointed leaves, all of which are radical ; blade 12'-20' long, nar- 

 rowed into a channeled petiole a third its length, 



