26 KEY AND FLORA 



SUBGENUS DICHELOSTEM'MA. Perianth tubular, 3 stamens with 

 erect anthers and wing-like appendages on each side of the filaments, the 

 other 3 free or reduced to staminodia. 



a. B. capita'ta Benth. GRASS NUTS, BRODI^A, WILD HYA- 

 CINTH (often incorrectly WILD ONIONS). Flowers blue-purple 

 (rarely white), in a close umbel, like a head. Bracts of the invo- 

 lucre membranous, dark purple. Stamens with anthers 6, the inner 

 anthers nearly sessile with wing-like appendages, the outer free, on short 

 filaments; the appendages of the inner anthers form a crown in the 

 throat of the perianth. This is abundant and widely distributed. The 

 children eat the bulbs and call them " grass nuts." 



b. B. volu'bilis Baker (Strophilir'ion). TWINING HYACINTH. 

 Perianth rose-color, with a 6-angled tube nearly as long as the 

 divisions. Three stamens with anthers and wing-like appendages, 3 

 emarginate staminodia. Scape long, twining snake-like around other 

 stems. The color of the flowers and shape of the umbel might lead 

 one to suppose this a wild onion. It is common in the foothills of 

 the Sierras and is found also in the Coast Mountains. 



c. B. coccin'ea Gray (Brevoor'tia). FIRECRACKER FLOWER. 

 Perianth with a scarlet tube nearly an inch long, and 6 short and 

 broad green divisions. Three stamens with icing-like appendages, 

 3 staminodia. The staminodia and appendages are yellow. The 

 scape is long and wavy, but not twining. These brilliant flowers 

 hang, as if too heavy to stand erect on their slender pedicels. 

 Northern California. 



SUBGENUS HOOK'ERA. Perianth tubular-funnel-shaped with a 

 spreading border. Flowers purplish blue, lighter colored at base, thick 

 in texture. Pedicels unequal. Stamens 3, with erect anthers alternating 

 with 3 petal-like staminodia. 



d. B. grandiflo'ra Smith. Scape from a few inches to a foot in 

 height. Pedicels 3-10, curved outwards and upwards, from 1 to 4 in. 

 long. Anthers twice as long as the slender filaments. Staminodia 

 white, tongue-shaped, as long as the anthers. The flowers of this are 

 sometimes nearly an inch long. This blooms in summer later than 

 other species growing in the same localities. Quite common. 



e. B. terres'tris Kellogg. GROUND LILY. Scape scarcely appear- 

 ing above the surface of the ground. Flowers smaller than the 

 last. Staminodia yellowish, emarginate, folded backwards. Common 

 in central California and extending northwards. 



SUBGENUS CALLIPRO'RA. Stamens G, with versatile anthers. 

 Filaments attached to the throat of the perianth, winged their entire length, 

 3-forked at top, with the anther on the middle prong. 



