LILIACE^E. (LILY FAMILY.) 467 



<$. SUI1L.4CINA, Desf. FALSE SOLOMON'S SEAL. 



Perianth 4-6-parted, spreading, deciduous (white), with as many stamens 

 inserted at the base of the divisions. Filaments slender: anthers short. Ovary 

 2-3-eelled, with 2 ovules in each cell: style short and thick: stigma obscurely 

 2-3-lobed. Berry globular, ]-2-seeded. Perennial herbs, with simple stems 

 from creeping or thickish rootstocks, alternate nerved leaves, and white, often 

 fragrant flowers in a terminal simple or compound raceme. (Name a diminu- 

 tive of Smllax, which, however, these plants are quite unlike.) 



$ 1. SMILACINA PROPER. Divisions of the perianth (oblong-lanceolate) and 

 stamens 6, the latter lonyer : ovary 3-cdled : ovules collatei'al: racemes crowded in 

 a compound raceme or close panicle. 



1. S. raccmosa, Desf. (FALSE SPIKENARD.) Minutely downy ; leaves 

 numerous, oblong or oval-lanceolate, taper-pointed, ciliate, abruptly somewhat 

 petioled. Moist copses : common. June. Stem 2 high from a thickish 

 rootstock, zigzag. Berries pale red, speckled with purple, aromatic. (S. cili- 

 ata, ZA-.s/;, is a dwarf state of this.) 



2. ASTERANTHEMUM, Kunth. Divisions of the perianth 6, oblong-lance- 

 olate, hiKjerthan the stamens: ovary 2-3-celled: ovules one above the other: raceme 

 single, 5 12-Jioicered. 



2. S. Stell.\ta, Dcsf. Nearly glabrous, or the 7-12 oblong-lanceolate leave* 

 minutely downy beneath when young, slightly clasping; berries blackish. 

 Moitt banks; common, especially northward. May, June. Plant l-2 

 high. (Eu.) 



3. S. trifolia, Desf. Glabrous, dwarf (3' -6' high) ; leaves S (sometimes 

 2 or 4), oblong, tapering to a sheathing base; berries red. Cold bogs, New 

 England to Wisconsin, and northward. May. 



3. MAlANTHEMUM, Desf. Divisions of the reflexed-spreading perianth 

 (oval) and the stamens 4, of equal length : ovary 2-celled: ovules collateral: raceme 

 single, many-flowered. 



4. S. bi folia, Ker. Glabrous, or somewhat pubescent, low (3' -5' high) ; 

 leaves mostly 2 (sometimes 3), heart-shaped, petioled, or in our plant (var. 

 CANADENSIS) one or both often sessile or nearly so and clasping. Moist 

 woods ; very common, especially northward. May. (Eu.) 



4* CONVALL.ARIA, L. (in part). LILT OF THE VALLEY. 



Perianth bell-shaped (white), 6-lobed, deciduous ; the lobes recurved. Sta 

 mens 6, included, inserted oh the base of the perianth. Ovary 3-celled, tapering 

 into a stout style: stigma triangular. Ovules 4-6 in each cell. Berry few- 

 seeded (red). A low perennial herb, glabrous, stemless, with slender running 

 rootstocks, sending up from a scaly-sheathing bud 2 oblong leaves, with their 

 long sheathing petioles enrolled one within the other so as to appear like a stalk, 

 and an angled scape bearing a one-sided raceme of pretty sweet-scented nodding 

 flowers. (Altered from >'/' w convottiitm, the popular name.) 



