128 



OEDER CXXXH. LILIACE.E. OKDEB CXXXVII. XYRIDACE.E. 



GROUP VI. 

 ORDER CXXXIL Liliacese. 



Herbs, arising from bulbs or tubers, rarely with fibrous or 

 fascicled roots. Leaves simple, sheathing, or clasping at base. 

 Flowers regular, perfect, often showy. Perianth with 6, rarely 

 4, equal, usually colored segments, free from the ovary. Stamens 

 6, rarely 4, inserted on the segments of the perianth. Anthers in- 

 trorse. Ovary 3-celled. Styles united into 1. Stigma simple, 

 or 3-lobed. Fruit capsular, with several, or many seeds in each 

 cell. 



A largo and widely-spread family containing many beautiful and splendid 

 ornamental plants. Their bulbs also are sometimes esculent, as in the Onion 

 and Garlic (Attium). Sometimes a bitter principle, with which the whole 

 order abounds to a greater or less extent, is developed so much as to render the 



Fig. 36. 



bulbs valuable in medicine, as in the Squill (Scttld). From the concrete juice 

 of different species of Aloe, we have the drug which is known by their name. 

 The Lily (Ltlium), fig. 36, Day Lily (Hemerocallis), the Lily of the Valley 

 (Convallaria), and the Hyacinth (Hyacinthus), are examples of this truly 

 noble order. 



ORDER CXXXIII. PontederiaceaB. 



Aquatic herbs. Flowers solitary, or spicate, arising from a 

 spathe, or from a fissure in the petiole. Perianth tubular, 6-cleft, 

 persistent and withering, colored, often irregular. Stamens 3, 

 inserted on the throat of the perianth ; or 6, and variously at- 

 tached to the perianth. Ovary 1 3-celled. Style 1. Stigma 1. 

 Capsule 3-valved, 1 or many-seeded. 



An order of aquatic plants, often with showy flowers. Pontederia (Picker- 

 el-weed), is an example. 



ORDER CXXXIV. Melanthaceas. 



Perennial herbs, arising from bulbs or rhizomas, corms, or fas- 

 ciculated roots. Stem simple, often a mere scape. Flowers per- 

 fect, or, by abortion, polygamous. Perianth regular, 6-parted ; 

 the divisions in 2 series, distinct, or united at base. Stamens 6. 

 Anthers extrorse. Ovary 3-celled, each cell with 3 or more 

 ovules. Styles, or stigmas, 3, distinct. Fruit a 3-eelled berry, 

 or capsule. 



A small order, distinguished by its violently acrid and poisonous qualities. 

 These properties are peculiarly developed in Colchicum (Meadow-Saffron), 

 and Veratrum, both of which are valuable in medicine. One species of Vera- 

 trum is our most common native example. 



ORDER CXXXV. Juncaceee. 



Herbaceous plants, generally coarse and grass-like, often leaf- 

 less. Flowers usually greenish, small, dry, glumaceous, in cymose 

 clusters. Leaves fistular, or else flat, often channelled, sometimes 

 none. Perianth regular, in 2 series of 3 segments in each. Sta- 

 mens 6, or 3. Ovary 3-celled, or 1-celled, because the placenta 

 do not reach the axis. Styles united into 1. Stigmas 3. Capsul* 

 3-valved. 



Fig. 37 



Juncus the Rush, one species of which is represented in fig. 37, is an exam- 

 ple of this family of Rushes. 



GROUP VII. 

 ORDER CXXXVI. Commelynacese. 



Herbs with flat, narrow leaves, usually sheathing at base. 

 Perianth with 6 segments in 2 series, the outer 3 herbaceous 

 sepals, the inner 3 colored petals. Stamens 6, or fewer. Anthers 

 with 2 separated cells. Filaments often covered with jointed 

 hairs. Ovary 2 3-celled. Styles united into 1. Stigma 1. 

 Fruit a 2 3-celled, few-seeded capsule, opening by loculicidal 

 dehiscence. 



A small and unimportant order, containing many ornamental plants. Tra- 

 descantia (Spiderwort), is a well-known example. 



ORDER CXXXVII. Xyridaceee. 



Sedge-like herbs. Leaves linear, or ensiform. Flowers in 

 heads, at the summit of a scape. Perianth of 6 segments, in 2 

 series. Sepals 3, glumaceous, caducous. Petals 3, unguiculate, 

 united into a tube below. Stamens 6, inserted on the corolla, 3 



