692 ORDER 140. AMARYLLIDACE^E. 



the outer often reflexecl ; stamen petaloid, 2-lobed, the upper lobe beai 

 ing the 1-cellecl (half) anther on its margin ; style petaloid, fleshy, stigma 

 obtuse; capsule muricate, 3-celled ; seeds globular. 2 Handsome, 

 evergreen herbs, with large Ivs. and showy panicles, or spikes. 



CORYTHIUM* (Gr. (6pv?) itopv96$, with a helmet.) Tube 

 of the corolla, prolonged above the ovary, with the outer segment spirally 

 attached, and re flexed, inner segment and the stamen dilated and coroni- 

 form ; anther wholly adnate. 



1 C. flaccida Roscoo. Glabrous; Ivs. lanceolate, acuminate, tapering to along, 

 sheathing base; fls. spicate, 2-bracted ; sep. erect, lance-linear; cor. tubo moro 

 than twice as long as the sepals-, limb of the inner petals spreading, flaccid, wavy, 

 yellow, the outer lance-linear, reflexed ; stigma obliquely dilated above, termina- 

 ting the corolla tube. A fine plant, around ponds, S. Car., Ga. and Fla. Stem 

 3f high. Lvs. near 2f long (including the narrow base), 2 to 4' wide. Fls. about 

 4' long. Caps, oval, 12 to lG"long. This plant, with its congeners, might per- 

 haps constitute a new genus. 



CANNA proper. Corolla tube short or none, segments erect or 

 spreading above, the inner not coroniform ; anther free above. 



2 C. Indica Rose. Glabrous ; Ivs. ovate, acuminate, abrupt at base ; cor. tube 

 scarcely longer than the sepals ; segm. strap-shaped or spatulate, subequal, inner 

 erect. Often cultivated. Lvs. large, smooth and glossy, the lamina more than 

 If long. Fls. near 2' long, red and yellow, f W. Indies. 



ORDER CXL. AMARYLLIDACE^E. AMARYLLIDS. 



Herbs perennial, chiefly bulbous, with linear leaves not scurfy nor woolly. Flow- 

 ers showy, mostly regular and on scapes, with an adherent, 6-parted perianth. Sta- 

 mens G, anthers introrse. Ovary 3-celled, with styles united into 1. fruit a 3-celled 

 capsule or berry. Seeds 1 to oo, with fleshy albumen. Figs. 315, 342, 395, 39G. 



Genera OS, species 400, chiefly tropical plants, most abundant in Brazil and S. Africa. Very 

 few are found in our climate. 



' Properties. A few of the Amaryllids possess poisonons properties, which is very rare 

 among the Endogens. The Hottentots arc said to poison their arrows by dipping thorn in the 

 viscid Juice of the bulbs of Ha>inanthus toxicarius. The bulbs of Narcissus'poeticus, and of other 

 species, are emetic. The fermented juice of the Agave forms the intoxicating pulque of the Mex- 

 icans. Many are highly ornamental in cultivation. 



GENERA. 

 Perianth bearing a crown on the summit of its tube. (*) 



* Crown a thin membrane connecting the stamens PANCRATIUM. 1 



* Crown a firm cup containing the stamens NARCISSUS. 2 



Perianth destitute of a crown. (**) 



** Segments united into a tube above the- ovary. Stamens perigynous. (a) 



a Flowers solitary, tube of the perianth straight erect ZF.pnTRANTiius. 3 



a Flowers many, tube of the perianth straight AGAVK. 4 



a Flowers many, tube of the perianth curved POLYANTHF.S. 5 



** Segments distinct down to the ovary. Flowers nodding, (b) 



b Perianth irregular. Stamens declined and curved SPREKELIA. C 



b Perianth regular. Sepals (all white) Tareer than petals GALANTIIUS. 7 



Sepals (green-tipped) as large as petals LEITCOJCM. 8 



Sepals and petals equal, yellow HYPOXIS. 9 



1. PANCRATIUM, L. (Gr. Trav, all, Kparvg, powerful ; the name 

 was first applied to the medicinal squill.) Tube of the perianth pro- 

 duced above the ovary, long and slender, dilated in the throat, limb 

 regular, 6-parted ; stamens 6, inserted on the throat, their bases con- 

 nected by an ample membrane forming a broad, funnel-shaped corona; 

 anthers linear, versatile ; capsule 3-valved, oo-seeded. Bulbs tunicated, 

 bearing long Ivs. and a scape with a brnctcd umbel of showy i-s. 



