102 AS CALIFORNIA FLOWERS GROW 



plants thrive. Its leaves are thickly crowded at the 

 base, but grow singly near and among the flower 

 panicles. Each leaf is parallel-veined; each is ses- 

 sile, that is, sitting on the stem; each forms a sheath 



around the stem, and 

 each seems to have too 

 much material, so Vera- 

 trum plaits it into folds 

 just as Gentian folds her 

 petals. With her large 

 upward-slanting leaves, 

 a meadow of Veratrum 

 looks like a field of 

 corn. 



The blossoms come 

 out in loose branches 

 along the top of the stem, 

 the lower branchlets 

 VERATRUM lon g e r than the upper 



so that the flower stalk 



rising above the green base, sometimes to three feet, 

 presents the . appearance of a great creamy spire. 

 The individual flowers are on tiny stems and crowd 

 thickly around their branches, appearing on every 

 side so that no matter which way you view the 

 Veratrum, you seem to be looking at its front face. 

 The blossoms are often two kinds on one plant, some 

 that are perfect with both stamens and pistils and 



