CONVALLARIA MAJALIS-LILY OF THE YALLEY, 



CLASS, HEXANDRIA ; ORDER, MONOGYNIA. 

 NATURAL ORDER, SMILACExE. 



GEN. CHAR. Carol, inferior, six cleft. Berry, round, three 

 celled, spotted before it ripens. SPEC. CHAR. Flowers, on a 

 scape. 



This is a much admired perennial plant, bearing delicate, white 

 flowers, in May and June, with recurved segments and very 

 fragrant. The stalk that rises from above the leaf to support 

 the flower, is semi-cylindrical. It has two oval, lance-shaped, 

 leaves, that spring from the root. The flowers come out in that 

 form called a raceme, which may be seen in our plate ; they are 

 drooping and of a globe bell shape. The generic name is derived 

 from Convallis, a valley, for it grows spontaneously in such places 

 when shady. Phillips remarks, that the graceful manner in which 

 these perfumed bells are suspended on the stern, and the agreeable 

 contrast which their broad leaves, of bright green, afford to the 

 snowy corollas, could not escape the notice of the poets. The 

 proper situation for this plant in the garden is the most rural and 

 rustic part, where it is partially shaded by shrubs and trees ; and 

 it flowers even better in a north aspect than when fully exposed to 

 the noon day sun. It will grow in almost any situation, but it 

 produces most flowers in a loose, sandy, soil that is rather poor 

 than otherwise ; for when planted in a rich garden mould, the roots 



