Wild Flowers East of the Rockies 67 



STAR-OF-BETHLEHEM (Ornithogalum umbellu- 

 tum) (EUROPEAN). This dainty plant is sometimes 

 met with near some farm house, from the garden of 

 which it may have escaped years before. It is quite 

 hardy and will increase rapidly if allowed a fair 

 chance. 



It receives its name from the star-like appearance 

 of the white flowers as they peer up through the 

 meadow grass. The original home of this flower is in 

 Italy. 



The scape, rising from a coated bulb, is from 6 to 

 12 in. high; at the top is a loose, terminal cluster of 

 from four to eight blossoms. The perianth is divided 

 into six waxy-white sepals, rather greenish on the out- 

 side, and with three to seven green nerves; six 

 stamens and a three-sided stigma; flower pedicels 

 slender and bracted at their junction with the scape. 

 The leaves are long, linear and channeled. It may be 

 found as an escape, from Me. to Va. 



AMARYLLIS FAMILY (Amaryllidaceae). 



A family of bulbous and scape-bearing herbs with 

 flat, grass-like leaves and regular six-parted flowers. 



ATAMASCO LILY (Zephyranthes Atamasco) is an 

 exceedingly beautiful species with pure, waxy-white 

 flowers, only one to a plant, erect at the summit of a 

 scape from 6 to 12 in. high. Perianth funnel-form, 

 with six spreading lobes, a short pistil and six sta- 

 mens with large yellow anthers. Leaves long, linear 

 and channeled. Quite common in moist places or 

 swamps, from Del. to Fla., flowering from April to 

 July. 



HYMENOCALLIS (Hymenocallis occidental^) has 

 large showy, fragrant, white flowers in an umbel-like 

 head; perianth broad, funnel-form with a two-notched 

 edge; 3 or 4 in. in length. Leaves long and strap- 

 shaped. In marshy places from Mo. and 111. southeast 

 to Ga. and Ala. 



