154 



BOTANY. 



yearly from underground bulbs, tubers, e.g. Trillium (Fig. 83, 

 A), or thickened, creeping stems, or root stocks (rhizomes). 

 Good examples of the last are the Solomon's-seal (Fig. 83, B), 

 Medeola (C, D), and iris (Fig. 84 A). One family, the yams 

 (Dioscorece) , of which we have one common native species, the 

 wild yam (Dioscorea villosa), have broad, netted-veined leaves 

 and are twining plants, while another somewhat similar family 



FIG. 83. Types of Liliiflorse. A, Trillium, x V 4 . B, single flower of Solomon's- 

 seal (Polygonatum), x 1. C, upper part of a plant. D, underground stem 

 (rhizome) of Indian cucumber root (Medeola), x %. E, a rush (Juncus), x 1. 

 F, a single flower, x 2. A-D, Liliacese ; E, Jtincacese. 



(Smilacece) climb by means of tendrils at the bases of the 

 leaves. Of the latter the " cat-brier " or " green-brier " is a 

 familiar representative.' 



The flowers are for the most part conspicuous, and in plan 

 like that of the adder's-tongue ; but some, like the rushes (Fig. 

 83, E), have small, inconspicuous flowers ; and others, like the 

 yams and smilaxes, have flowers of two kinds, male and female. 



