ASrAUACACE.^. (ASPARAGUS FAMILY.) 770 



OrdSrCXI. ASPARACrACEiE, Baker. (Asparagus Family.) 



Herhs or shinhsy never with hidhs, with i^rfect^ monce- 

 cioiis, or ijolygamons floioers, the ])erigo7ii\im free from the 

 ovary ^ Q-cleft or -jxirted^ corolla-like {^xirely ^^-^-xjartecl, in 

 lohich case the outer divisions are calyx-lihe) j stamens as 

 many as divisions of jperigonium.^ inserted on it or on the 

 receptacle ; anthers %celled^ introrse. Ovary Z-celled^ with 

 1-Go ovtoles in each cell, implanted on the central angle^ ana- 

 tropons. Fr%dt an indehiscent 'berry — Styles 1-3. Fruit 3- 

 (or by abortion 1-2-) celled, with one, globular, angled, or tri- 

 quetrous seed in each cell. Embryo small, in a cavity of the 

 albumen. 



* Plants with ordinary leaves. Perigonium G-toothed. 

 1 . POLYGONATUM. Tlowers drooping on slender pedicels, cylindrical, perfect. 

 * * Leaves reduced to scales. Plmits furnished with sterile, leaf-like, branches. 

 t Sterile branches (cladodia) subidate^ clustered in axils, rarely solitary. 

 ■}. ASPARAGUS. Flowers small, on short pedicels, axillary, perfect, dioecious or 

 polygamous. 

 ■f t Sterile branches (phijllocladia oV phyllodia) flattened, resembling leaves of Polygonatum. 

 '^. PiUSCUS. Flowers growing on the midrib of the lower face of the phyliocladium. Peri- 



gonium 6-parted. 

 4. DAX.E. Flowers terminal, racemed, Perigonium gamophyllous. 



1. POIiYGOXATUM, Toiirn. Solomon's Seal. 



Flowers perfect, Perigouium white, cylindrical, with six, erect, 

 green teeth. Stamens 6, inserted above the middle of tube, included, 

 the anthers linear, fixed by their back. Ovary sessile, oblong, 3-celled, 

 with 2 ovules in each cell ; style filiform, deciduous ; stigma dot-like. 

 Berry globular, with globular seeds — Caulescent herbs, arising from 

 tliick, knotted root-stocks. 



P.polyaiitUciimiMjM. B. Fig. 359. 



.3 to .4; stem angled, naked to 



nearly laalf its height. Leaves 



nltcrnate, .04 to .08 long, .015 to 



.025 broad, oblong-lanceolate, 



short-petioled, acutish, slightly 



roughened. Pedicels glabrous, 



1-4-flowered, nodding, with 



fiowers one-third to one-foiuth as 



long as leaves; perigonium .01 



louo^, constricted above ovarv — t f ■ ' r -r. . 



T *=' A 1 Tr- -; -r^ "^ T ^-eaf and raceme of Polygonatum 



June -Amanus and Kurd Dagh. poiyanthemum. 



2. ASPARAGUS, L. Asparagus. Halyun, 



Flowers perfect, dioecious or polygamous. Perigonium camj)an- 

 ulate or hemispherical, G-parted. Stamens G, free, included, equal, 

 inserted near the base of the divisions, the anthers fixed by their back, 



