LILIACE^ 301 



half as long as petals: leaves ovate, taper-pointed, distinctly petioled, 

 obtuse or rounded at the base. Cool damp woods, from New Brunswick to 

 Georgia, and west. 



11. ASPAEAGUS. ASPARAGU.S. 



Mostly tall, often climbing plants with cladophylla and very small 

 scale-like true leaves: flowers white or greenish, small, bell-shaped, scat- 

 tered or in groups of 2 or 3: fruit a 3-loculed and 1-G-seeded small berry. 



A. oiiicinalis, Linn. Common asparagus. 

 Figs. 147, 148. Erect and branchy, the strong young 

 shoots thick and edible: berries red. Eur. 



A. plumdsus, Baker. Fig. 149. Twining, with 

 dark, frond-like foliage, small white flowers and 

 434. >» black berries. S. Africa; greenhouses. 



Asparagus medeoloides. ^ medeololdes, Thunb. Smilax of florists (but 



not of botanists). Fig. 434. Twining: foliage broad and leaf -like: fls. soli- 

 tary and fragrant: berries dark green. S. Africa; much grown by florists. 



12. SMILACiNA. False Solomon's Seal. 



Low, erect plants with many small white flowers in racemes or pani- 

 cles: perianth 6-parted: fruit a 3-loculed berry: rootstock creeping. 



S. racemdsa, Desf. False s])ikenafd. About 2 ft., tall, somewhat 

 downy, with many oblong or oval leaves: flowers in a panicle: berries pale 

 red, speckled. Spring and early summer. Rich woods. 



S. stelld.ta, Desf. Nearly or quite smooth: leaves narrower: flowers in 

 a simple raceme. Forms patches in low ground. 



13. MAIANTHEMUM. Two-leaved Solomon's Seal. 



Neat little herbs, with slender rootstocks: stems unbranched, few- 

 leaved: flowers small, in an open raceme, with usually 2 or 3 pedicels 

 together: perianth of 4 ovate, obtuse, spreading segments, united at base: 

 fruit a globular 1-2 seeded berr}'. One species in eastern North America. 



M. Canadense, Desf. Slender stem, 3-6 in. high, terminated by the 

 many-flowered raceme: flowers white: leaves ovate, cordate at base, short- 

 stalked. Common in moist woods and on shaded banks, making mats or 

 patches. May to July. 



U. CONVALLABIA. Lily -of-the valley. 



Low, spring-rtowering herbs from brandling rootstocks: flowers ganio- 

 petalous, white and waxy, nodding in a 1-sided raceme, the (J short lobes 

 recurving: fruit a red berrj'. 



C. majalis, Linn. Leaves obloug, numerous from the rootstocks, form- 

 ing mats, and about 2 with each scape: flowers very fragrant. One of the 

 best-known garden flowers. Europe. The only species. 



15. POLYGONATUM. Solomon's Seal. 



Mostly strong plants from long running rootstocks on which the scars 

 of preceding stalks are very evident (whence the common name): stems 



