334 THE KINDS OF PLANTS 



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. 



14. CONVALLARIA. Lily-of-the-valley. 



Low, spring-flowering herbs from branching rootstocks: flowers gamo- 

 petalous, white and waxy, nodding in a 1-sided raceme, the 6 short lobes 

 recurving: fruit a red berry. 



C. majalis. Linn. Leaves oblong, 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 

 leafy, bearing nodding gamosepalous flowers in the axils: fruit a globular, 

 dark-colored berry. Rich woods, spring. 



P. commutatum, Dietr. Three to 5 ft. tall: leaves ovate, somewhat clasp- 

 ing: peduncles in each axil, 2-8-flowered: filaments not roughened. 



P. biflorum, Ell. One to 3 ft.: leaves oblong, nearly sessile, somewhat 

 glaucous, hairy: peduncles usually 2-flowered: filaments roughened. 



V. COMMELINACEiE. Spiderwort Family. 



Herbs, annual or perennial, with flat, narrow leaves, sheathing 

 at base: roots fibrous, sometimes thickened: flowers regular or irreg- 

 ular, perfect, usually showy, in terminal cymes, usually borne above a 

 leafy or spathe-like bract; sepals 3: petals 3, soon decaying or falling; 

 stamens 6, hypogynous, some of them often deformed or abortive: 

 ovary 2-3-celled, style single, stigma entire or somewhat lobed: juice 

 slimy or mucilaginous. More than 300 species, mainly belonging to 

 tropical regions. 



a. Flowers irregular, inclosed in cordate spathe-like 



floral leaf; perfect stamens 3 (rarely 2) 1. Commelina 



aa. Flowers regular, or nearly so; bracts leaf -like; 



stamens 6 2. Tradescantia 



aaa. Flowers somewhat irregular, tubular, usually in pairs : 



trailing habit, easily rooting at nodes 3. Zebrina 



1. COMMELiNA. Day Flower. 



Plants erect or partly procumbent and rooting at joints, succulent, 

 branching: leaves petioled or sessile, the floral leaf or spathe cordate: 

 flowers recurved on their pedicels and hooded by the floral leaf before and 

 after flowering, open for a short time only. 



