NATURAL FAMILIES. 



Fig. 96. 



179 



96 rep. 

 young 



Fig. 



resents a 

 palm tree (Cha- 

 marops humilis); 

 at a is the fibrous 

 root ; b c, repre- 

 sents the oldest 

 part of the stipe, 

 shewing by the 

 lines and dots the 

 place of insertion 

 of the first leaves; 

 c b, represents the 

 upper part of the 

 stipe, still covered 

 with the sheathing 

 bases of the peti- 

 oles ; d represents 

 the crowning, ter- 

 minal leaves 

 these are petioled, 

 fan-shaped, plait- 

 ed when young ; . 

 the petioles are 

 armed with prick- 

 les. Palms live to 

 a great age ; they 

 are the product of tropical regions, and afford valuable food. 



Liliaceous plants (Liliaca), consist of six petals, spreading 

 gradually from the base, and exhibiting a kind of bell-form ap- 

 pearance, but differing from the bell-form flowers in being po- 

 lypetalous. The number of stamens in these plants is generally 

 6, sometimes but 3 ; they are usually alternate with the petals. 

 The germ of the liliaceous plants is always of a triangular 

 form, and contains 3 cells ; the roots are mostly bulbous. The 

 lily has a scaly bulb ; the tulip has a root, which seems almost 

 solid and tuberous. 



The calyx is mostly wanting in the liliaceous plants, the 

 stems are simple, without branches, the leaves entire, and ner- 

 ved. To this family belong the tulip, lily, crown-imperial, 

 dog-tooth violet, &c. Plants of this natural family usually be- 

 long to the artificial class Hexandria ; the crocus, having three 

 stamens, belongs to the class Triandria. 



Asparagi. We find here, closely connected with the Lilia- 



Describe Fig. 96 Liliaceous plants Asparagi. 



