62 CONVALLARIACEAE (LILY-OF-THE-VALLEY FAMILY) 



AA. Perianth regular. 

 B. Leaves 12 mm. or less wide. 



C. Bracts of the inflorescence lanceolate or linear-lanceolate. 



D. Flowers blue or white; perianth segments usually 7-veined; capsule conspic- 

 uously veined. W. C. C.leichtlinU 

 DD. Flowers blue; perianth segments usually 5 -veined; capsules not conspicu- 

 ously veined. E. C. suksdorfii 

 CC. Bracts of the inflorescence filiform-subulate. U. C. howellii 

 BB. Leaves 13-37 mm. wide; perianth segments 3~5-veined. E. C. cusickii 



CONVALLARIACEAE (LILY-OF-THE-VALLEY FAMILY) 



Herbs, erect, perennial, with rhizomes, never with bulbs nor 

 corms; tendrils none. Leaves either wide or scalelike, simple, 

 alternate or whorled or basal; wide leaves parallel-veined or with 

 chief veins from the base. Flowers regular, perfect, variously 

 arranged. Perianth segments 6 or rarely 4, distinct or partly 

 united; tube 6-lobed or -toothed. Stamens 4 or 6, hypogynous or 

 on the perianth. Ovary i-3-celled, superior; styles i or 3 ; stigma 

 2-3-lobed or entire. Fruit a fleshy berry or rarely a capsule. 

 Seeds few to many. 



A. Leaves minute, scalelike; stem much branched; ultimate branchlets thread- 

 like. W. E. Cultivated for its edible shoots. (The Greek name for similar 

 plants.) Asparagus officinale (.ASPARAGUS) 



AA. Leaves large, foliaceous, wide; stems simple or sparingly branched; branchlets 

 not threadlike. 



B. Leaves not 3, or if so not in a whorl on the stem; flowers either more than i 

 or not terminal (except Clintonia) ; none of the perianth segments dark green. 

 C. Perianth segments alike; fruit a berry; leaves more than 2 (except. Unifolium) ; 

 stem plainly above ground (except Clintonia). 



D. Leaves all basal, gradually narrowed to a petiole; leaf blade widest above 

 the middle. CLINTONIA (p. 63) 



DD. Leaves alternate and scattered along an elongated stem, or only i, either 

 without petiole or abruptly petioled; leaf blade widest below the middle. 

 E. Leaves 1-3, with slender petiole; perianth segments 4; stamens 4; ovary 

 2-celled; stem simple. W. C. (L. unus = i, folium = a leaf; because 

 sterile plants usually have only i leaf.) 



Unifolium bifolium (WILD LILY-OF-THE-VALLEY) 

 EE. Leaves more than 3, sessile or very nearly so; perianth segments 6; 



stamens 6; ovary 3-celled. 



F. Flowers many, in a terminal raceme or panicle; stem simple; leaves not 



oblique at base; berry i-3-seeded. VAGNERA (p. 63) 



FF. Flowers few, in a terminal umbel; stem branched; leaves somewhat 



oblique at base; berry 3- to many-seeded. DISPORUM (p. 63) 



FFF. Flowers few, axillary, solitary or 2 on a forked peduncle; stem simple or 



branched; leaves not oblique at base; berry many-seeded. 



STREPTOPUS (p. 64) 



