LILIACEAE (LILY FAMILY) 293 



29. CONVALLARIA L. LILY OF THE VALLEY 



Perianth bell-shaped, white, with 6 short recurved lobes. Stamens 6, in- 

 cluded, inserted on the base of the perianth ; anthers introrse. Ovary 3-celled, 

 tapering into a stout style ; stigma triangular. Ovules 4-6 in each cell. Berry 

 few-seeded, red. Perennial herb, glabrous, stemless, with slender running root- 

 stocks, 2 or 3 oblong leaves, and an angled scape bearing a one-sided raceme of 

 sweet-scented nodding flowers. (From Lilium convallium, the popular name.) 



1. C. majalis L. High mountains, Va. to S. 0. Apparently identical 

 with the European LILY OF THE VALLEY of the gardens which occurs as an occa- 

 sional escape from cultivation elsewhere within our limits. 



30. MEDEOLA [Gronov.] L. INDIAN CUCUMBER-ROOT 



Perianth recurved ; the 3 sepals and 3 petals oblong and alike, pale greenish- 

 yellow, deciduous. Stamens 6 ; anthers shorter than the slender filaments, 

 oblong. Styles stiginatic down the upper side, recurved-diverging from the 

 globose ovary, long and thread-form, deciduous. Berry globose, dark purple, 

 3-celled, few-seeded. A perennial herb, with a simple slender stem (3-9 dm. 

 high, clothed with flocculent and deciduous wool), rising from a horizontal 

 white tuber (with taste of cucumber), bearing near the middle a whorl of 5-9 

 obovate-lanceolate leaves ; also another of 3 (rarely 4 or 5) much smaller ovate 

 ones at the top, subtending a sessile umbel of small recurved flowers. (Named 

 after the sorceress Medea, for its supposed great medicinal virtues.) 



1. M. virginiana L. Rich damp woods, N. B. to Ont., Minn., and Fla. 

 June. 



31. TRILLIUM L. WAKE ROBIN. BIRTHROOT 



Sepals 3, lanceolate, spreading, herbaceous, persistent. Petals 3, larger, 

 withering in age. Stamens 6 ; anthers linear, on short filaments, adnate. 

 Styles awl-shaped or slender, spreading or recurved above, persistent, stig- 

 matic down the inner side. Seeds ovate, horizontal, several in each cell. 

 Low perennial herbs, with a stout and simple stem rising from a short and prae- 

 morse tuber-like rootstock, bearing at the summit a whorl of 3 ample, com- 

 monly broadly ovate, more or less ribbed but netted-veined leaves, and a 

 terminal large flower ; in spring. (Name from tres, three ; all the parts being 

 in threes.) Monstrosities are not rare with the calyx and sometimes petals 

 changed to leaves, or the parts of the flower increased in number. 



* Ovary and fruit Q-angled and more or less winged. 

 -t- Flower sessile ; leaves usually mottled. 



1. T. sessile L. Leaves sessile / sepals spreading ; sessile petals erect-spread- 

 ing, narrowly lanceolate or oblanceolate, dark and dull purple, varying to 

 greenish ; fruit globose, 1.2 cm. long. Moist woods, Pa. to Minn, and southw. 



2. T. viride Beck. Larger (3-4 dm. high) ; leaves sessile, ovate, acuminate ; 

 sepals spreading ; petals linear, 3-5 cm. long, greenish. Rich woods and open 

 hillsides, Kan., Mo., and southeastw. 



3. T. recurvatum Beck. Leaves contracted at the base into a petiole, ovate, 

 oblong, or obovate ; sepals reflexed ; petals pointed, the base narrowed into a 

 claw, oblong-lanceolate to -ovate, dark purple ; fruit ovoid, strongly winged 

 above, 1.8 cm. long. Rich woods, O. to Minn., Ark., "Miss.," and Tenn. 



*- t- Flower pediceled ; connective narrow, not produced; leaves subsessile. 

 <-* Anthers at anthesis exceeding the stigmas. 



4. T. erSctum L. Leaves very broadly rhombic, shortly acuminate ; peduncle 

 (2-8 cm. long) usually more or less inclined or declinate ; petals ovate to lanceo- 

 late (18-36 mm. long), brown-purple or often white or greenish or pinkish ; 

 stamens exceeding the stout distinct spreading or recurved stigmas; ovary 

 purple; fruit ovoid, 2.5 cm. long, reddish. Rich woods, e. Que. to Ont., 

 southw. to Pa. and in the mts. to N. C. Flowers ill-scented. 



