430 YAM FAMILY. 



with pink and spotted with pnrple, with some yellow on the inner 

 divisions. 



A. pulchella, Linn. f. (A. psittacika). Flowers umbelled, funnel-form 

 in shape, the spatuiate divisions more erect and close, red, tipped with 

 green and brown- spotted. 



A. versicolor, Kuiz. & Pav. Flowers few, terminating the drooping or 

 spreading branches, yellow spotted with purple. 



16. POLIANTHES, TUBEROSE. (Name probably from Greek words 

 for ichite and flower ; therefore not Polyanthes. The popular name 

 relates to the tuberous rootstock, therefore not Tube-rose, but Tiiber-ose.) 



P. iuberbsa, Linn. The only species originally from Mexico ; the tall 

 .stem with long several-ranked leaves at base, and shorter and sparser ones 

 towards the many-flowered spike (produced in autumn when planted 

 out) ; the blossoms very fragrant, white, or slightly tinged with rose, the 

 choicer sorts full-double. 



17. AGAVE, AMERICAN ALOE. (Greek word for jiofeZe.) Tlants 

 flower only after some years, and die after maturing the fruit. 



A. Virglnica, Linn. Sterile soil from Md. to 111., and S. ; has lance- 

 oblong denticulate and spiny-tipped leaves &-V2,' long, and scape bearing 

 a loose simple spike of small flowers, 3°-6° high. 



A. Americana, Linn. The Common Century Plant or American Aloe. 

 With very thick spiny-toothed and spine-pointed leaves, 2°-4° long, pale 

 green, or a variety yellowish-striped, the scape when developed from old 

 plants (said, erroneously, to flower only after 100 years in cool climates) 

 tree-like, bearing an ami^le panicle. Mexico. (Lessons, Fig. 169.) 



CXVIII. LIOSCOREACE^, YAM FAMILY. 



Twining plants, from tubers or thick rootstocks or roots, 

 having ribbed and netted-veined petioled leaves more or less 

 imitating those of Exogens, and small greenish or whitish 

 regular dioecious flowers, with the tube of the perianth in the 

 fertile ones adhering to the 3-celled ovary ; its 6 divisions 

 regular and parted to near the base or to the ovary. Styles 3, 

 distinct or nearly so. Ovules and seeds 1 or 2 in each cell. 



1. DIOSCOREA, YAM. (Named for Dioscorides.) Flowers in axillary 

 panicles or racemes ; stamens 6 in the sterile ones, separate. Fertile 

 ones producing a 3-celled, 3-winged pod, when ripe splitting through 

 the wings. Flowers summer. Several species are cult, in the tropics. ^ 



D. vill6sa, Linn. Wild Yam. Sends up from a knotty rootstock its 

 slender stems, bearing heart-shaped, pointed leaves, either alternate, 

 opposite, or some in fours, 9-11-ribbed, and with prominent cross-vein- 

 lets. In thickets, commoner S.; slightly downy, or usually almost 

 smooth, so that the specific name is not a good one. 



D. divaricata, Blanco. (D. Batatas). Chinese Yam, Cinnamon Vine. 

 Cult, from China and Japan (probably native to the Philippine Is.), for 

 ornament, or for its very deep and long farinaceous roots, — a substitute 

 for potatoes ; leaves very smooth, heart-sliaped, partly halberd-shaped, 

 and opposite, with little bulblets in the axils. 



