LILY FAMILY. 431 



D. bufbtfera, Linn. AIR POTATO. Leaves alternate, cordate-ovate and 

 prominently cuspidate, glabrous, 9-nerved (the two lower ones upon 

 either side united at the base), on stalks longer than the blade ; flowers 

 in lax and simple axillary drooping racemes. Somewhat cult, in Gulf 

 States for the large angular edible gray tubers (4'-6' long), in the axils 

 of the leaves. Tropical Asia. 



CXIX. LLLIACRffi, LILY FAMILY. 



Large family, known as a whole by its regular symmetrical 

 flowers, with perianth of 6 (in one instance of 4 and another 

 of 8) parts, as many stamens with 2-celled anthers standing 

 in front of the divisions, and a free 3-celled (rarely 2-celled) 

 ovary. Perianth either partly or wholly colored, or greenish, 

 but not glumaceous. Fruit a few-many-seeded dry pod or 

 soft berry. Flowers not from a spatho, except in Allium, etc. 

 Chiefly herbs, with entire leaves ; perennials. The chief genera 

 are here presented in an easy arrangement. 



I. SMILAX SUBFAMILY. Chiefly woody-stemmed plants, 

 a few herbaceous, climbing or supported by a pair of tendrils 

 on the sides of the petiole, having 3-9-ribbed and netted-yeined 

 leaves and small dioecious flowers in axillary umbels ; stigmas 

 mostly 3, long and diverging, sessile ; fruit a berry ; the 

 anthers are only 1-celled, opening by one longitudinal slit 

 (the division of the cell, if any, corresponding with the slit). 



1. SMILAX. Characters of the Subfamfly. 



II. ASPAKAGUS SUBFAMILY. With parallel-veined 

 mostly alternate leaves, branching or simple stems from a 

 rootstock (at least there is no bulb), a single style (if cleft or 

 lobed at all only at the summit), and fruit a few-several- 

 seeded berry. Pedicels very often with a joint in the middle 

 or under the flower. Flower almost always small, and white 

 or greenish, chiefly perfect. 



* Plants with small scales in place of leaves, from the axils of which are produced 

 false leaves, i.e. bodies which by their position are seen to be of the nature of 

 branches, but which imitate and act as leaves. Perianth greenish or whitish, 

 6-parted, the stamens borne on its base. Berry %-celled, the cells 2-seeded. 



2. ASPARAGUS. Flowers greenish-yellow, bell-shaped, scattered along the much divided 



branches ; or, in one group, 2 or 8 in the axils, greenish-white ; the linear-oblong 

 divisions of the perianth recurved. The so-called leaves ranging from very narrow 

 to lance-ovate -Stems often twining. 



