FLORA OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 123 



27. CONVALLARIACEAE. Lily-of-the-valley Family. 



The lily-of-the- valley, Convallana majalis L., is commonly cultivated and tends 

 to persist along garden fences. It occurs as a native plant in the high mountains of 

 Virginia and North Carolina, though our cultivated stock is of European origin. 



Flowers dioecious; leaves scalelike; plant tall, much branched. Filiform leaflike 

 branches (cladodes) clustered in axils of upper leaf scales...!. ASPARAGUS. 

 Flowers perfect; leaves present, broad; stems simple. 

 Leaves alternate. 

 Perianth segments separate; flowers in terminal racemes or panicles. 



Perianth segments 6 2. VAGNERA. 



Perianth segments 4 3. UNIFOLIUM. 



Perianth segments united; flowers axillary, solitary or in small clusters. 



4. POLYGONATUM. 

 Leaves whorled below the flowers. 



Leaves in two whorls; perianth segments essentially similar 5. MEDEOLA. 



Leaves in one whorl of three; outer perianth segments green, the inner purple or 

 whitish 6. TRILLIUM. 



1. ASPARAGUS L. 



1. Asparagus officinalis L. Asparagus. 



Frequent as an escape from cultivation; waste places and sandy banks of streams. 

 The cultivated asparagus is a native of southwestern Asia, but is easily established 

 as a permanent member of the flora in any arable region of the United States. 



The rudimentary ovaries of the staminate plant suggest a perfect flower, but they 

 never set seed. 



2. VAGNERA Adans. False Solomon's-seal. 



Flowers numerous, on very short pedicels in a terminal panicle; stamens longer than 

 the small (2 mm.) perianth segments; rootstock stout, fleshy; leaves ciliate, some- 

 what petioled 1. V. racemosa. 



Flowers few, on longer solitary pedicels in a simple raceme; stamens shorter than the 

 longer (4-5 mm.) perianth segments; rootstock slender, long-creeping; leaves 

 clasping, glabrous 2. V. stellata. 



1. Vagnera racemosa (L.) Morong. 



Frequent in moist woods and thickets. May. Throughout most of the U. S. {Svn- 

 lacina racemosa Desf.) 



2. Vagnera stellata (L.) Morong. 



Rare in moist woodland; Chain Bridge, Difficult Run, and islands of the Potomac. 

 May. Northern N. Amer. and Eur. (Smilaciva stellata Desf.) 



3. UNIFOLIUM Adans. 



1. Unifolium canadense (Desf.) Greene. Wild or false lily-op-the-valley. 



Locally common in swamps below the fall line, especially beyond Hj^attsville. 

 May. Northern U. S., south to N. C. ( Maianthemuvi canadense Desf.) 



4. POLYGONATUM Adans. Solomon's-seal. 



Flowers yellowish; free part of the filament smooth, longer than the anther. 



1. P. biflorum. 



Flowers green; free part of the filament granular or papillose, shorter than the anther. 



Fruit greenish black .2. P. giganteum. 



