A GUIDE TO THE WILD FLOWERS 39 



Colic Root or Star Grass. Aletris farinosa. Some- 

 times 3 ft. tall, but usually lower. Leaves 2-5 in. long, 

 pointed at the tip, pale greenish yellow, not quite i in. wide. 

 Flower cluster 4-10 in. long, elongating in fruit. Flowers 

 almost stalkless, about ^ in. long. Pods ovoid, about % in. 

 long, their lobes all short-tipped. July. In open places. Me. to 

 Fla., and westward. Fig, 118. 



119. BLAZING STAR. CHAMAELIRIUM. 



Somewhat fleshy herbs of moist places, with thickened 

 roots. Leaves basal, and on the stem, broadest toward the 

 tip. Flowers in a long-stalked spike-like raceme, white. Fruit 

 a scarcely lobed pod, not surrounded by the remains of the 

 flower. (MclantJiaccae.) 



Blazing Star. Chamaelirium lutenni. From 1)4-2^ ft. 

 tall. Basal leaves 2^-7 in. long, broadest towards the tip, 

 long-stalked, the stem leaves smaller and stalkless. Flower 

 cluster 3-9 in. long, elongating in those producing fruit. 

 Flowers about 34 iri- wide. Pod nearly oblong, about ^ in. 

 long. Many plants produce no fruit. June. Mass. to Fla., 

 west to Mich, and Ark., mostly in meadows and moist 

 thickets. Fig. 119. 



120. TURKEY-BEARD. XEROPHYLLUM. 



Tall herb of dry pine-barrens with very numerous, almost 

 thread-like roughish leaves. Flowers white, many, in a large 

 terminal cluster, the lower opening first, soon withering, but 

 persistent. Fruit a 3-grooved pod. (Melanthaccae.) 

 Turkey-beard. Xcrophyllum asphod chides. Frequently 3-4 

 ft. high, and stout. Leaves basal and on the stem, the 

 lower longer, very numerous, 6-20 in. long. Flower cluster 

 3-7 in. long, the individual flower stalks about i in. long. 

 l*od about % in. long. June. Dry pine-barrens, southern 

 N. J. to Fla. and eastern Tenn. Fig. 120. 



