HEXANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. 221 



S^2S, ORNITHOGALUM. L. (Star of Bethle- 

 hem.) 



Corolla of 6 petals* erect, persistent, above 

 the middle, spreading. Filaments dilated at 

 the base or subulate. Capsule su[)ei'ior, round- 

 ish^ 3-celIed. Seeds roundish, naked. 



Roots bulbous; scapes few-flowered, subumbellate, co- 

 rymbose, or racemose. 



Species. 1. O. umbellatinn. Introduced; becoming a 

 troublesome and inextinguishable weed in moist meadows, 

 forming- exclusive plats. In the vicinity of Philadelphia. 



This extensive and polymorphous genus of near 50 spe- 

 cies is chiefly indigenous to the south Europe, to Barbary, 

 Siberia, and the Cape of Good Hope. The bulbs of some 

 of the species, though not probably very palatable, have 

 been used for food in times of scarcity, and during the 

 existence of barbarous society. The roots of Omitho^a- 

 him pilosian? are siill eaten by the Greeks of the Crimea, 

 according to Pallas. 



324. LILIUM. L, (Lily.) 



Corolla 6.petal!ed, campanulate; petals most- 

 ly reflected, marked witii a longitudinal necta- 

 riferous line. Stamina shorter than the style. 

 Stigma undivided. Capsule superior, valves 

 connected by cancellate hairs. Seeds flat. 



Roots bulbous, bulbs squamose; scales soboliferous; 

 stems simple, leafy, leaves alternate or verticillate; flow- 

 ers subumbellate cr pvramidally racemose, mostly cer- 

 nuous. 



Species. 1. L. Catesb.ti. 2.pi(fUciim-PH. Apparently a 

 Fritilluria. 3. peiisylvanicum. l^robably a hybrid of the 

 gardens, as 1 have understood it to bear Imperfl-ct flow- 

 ers. 4. *andijium. T. V. in Fras L'atal. 1813. Leaves 

 scattered, somewhat linear-oBlong, acute, floral leaves ver- 

 ticillate; flov.ers 1 to 5 terminal, erect, peduncles smooth; 

 corolla campanulate, petals lanceolate, unguicuiate, alter- 

 nately narrower, spotted. — Obs. />. ambellaium, Pursh, Fl. 

 Am. 1. p. 229. it has not the smallest affinity with L. con- 

 color of Salisbury, Parad. Lend. 47- The flower is of the 

 size and form of L. philadelphicinn to which it bears a 

 near affinity, being of a deep scarlet, spotted with brown 

 towards the claws which are long and narrcw, the 

 U 2 



