86 Liliaceae 



5. BLOOMEBIA Kell. GOLDEN STARS. 



Scape from a fibrous coated corm, with linear carinate 

 basal leaves and many yellow flowers in a terminal 

 umbel, subtended by membranous bracts. Pedicels 

 jointed at the summit. Perianth persistent, of 6 nearly 

 equal distinct linear-oblong somewhat spreading seg- 

 ments. Stamens 6, inserted on the base of the segments, 

 and a little shorter ; filaments filiform with a somewhat 

 cup-shaped winged and often bicuspidate appendage 

 surrounding the base ; anthers oblong, attached near the 

 base but versatile. Ovules several in each cell ; style 

 filiform-clavate, persistent and splitting with the capsule. 

 Capsule subglobose, membranous, obtusely 3-lobed^ 

 loculicidally dehiscent. Seeds subovoid, angular and 

 wrinkled, black. 



1. B. aurea Kell. Bulb about 15 cm. in diameter, becoming 

 densely covered with brownish fibres; scape scabrous, 2-5 dm. 

 high ; leaf solitary, equaling or exceeding the scape, 6-12 mm. 

 broad; bracts narrowly lanceolate; pedicels numerous 3-6 cm. 

 long; perianth nearly rotate in bloom; segments 8-12 mm. long; 

 appendages about 2 mm. long, bicuspidate, minutely papillose. 

 Frequent in the foothills and on the plains. April-June. 



6. BRODIAEA Smith. WILD HYACINTH. 



Scape tortuous or twining from a depressed fibrous, 

 coated corm. Leaves usually 2, fleshy linear. Umbel 

 subtended by 3 or more thin spathaceous bracts. Peri- 

 anth tube thin, more or less inflated and angular or sac- 

 cate, about equaled by the segments. Stamens 6, the 

 inner with a free lanceolate appendage on each side, 

 sterile in some species, the outer ones naked ; anthers 

 basifixed. Ovules 8-8 in each cell ; style persistent, 

 with short divergent stigmas. Capsule ovate to oblong,, 

 more of less attenuate above. Seeds angled, black. 



