384 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY 



In this as in CRINUM and PANCRATIUM if we 

 consider the six stamens as two whorls of three each, 

 all the parts of the flower are in threes, in regularly 

 alternating circles. 



CHARACTERS OF THE AMARYLLIDE^E 



These three genera are good examples of the 

 family AMARYLLIDE.3E, the characteristics of which are, 

 the short tuberous or bulbous root-stock with except 

 in some cases, no aerial stem, the parallel venation of 

 the leaves, the inferior ovary, and the number three 

 or six of all parts of the flower. 



Other common plants : 



AGAVE AMERICANA, L. and A. VIVIPARA, L. are 

 used for hedging railways and gardens ; another species 

 A. SISELANA is planted for the sake of the fibre which 

 can be extracted from the leaves. 



ZEPHYRANTHUS TUBISPATHA, Hacb. the Indian 

 Crocus, a small plant whose scape is six or eight 

 inches high, is common in gardens, and occasionally 

 wild on the hills. It is a native of Peru from which 

 it has been brought to India. 



HlPPEASTRUM, different species and hybrids of which 

 are sometimes grown in gardens (under the name of 

 AMARYLLIS), belongs to this family, as also does the 

 Narcissus and Daffodil. 



LILIACE^E 



The family LILIACE^E resembles the AMARYLLIDE^E 

 in that the parts of the flowers are in threes or sixes, 

 but the ovary is superior not inferior. 



