84 Liliaceae 



mose. Basal leaves tufted long-linear, the stem leaves 

 much reduced. Bracts small and scarious. Pedicels 

 jointed at the summit. Perianth white or purplish, per- 

 sistent and at length twisted over the ovary, its segments 

 distinct ligulate spreading, with 3 closely approximate 

 nerves down the middle. Stamens 6, inserted on the 

 base of the segment ; anthers versatile. Style long-fili- 

 form slightly 3-cleft. Capsule broadly turbinate, 3- 

 valved, loculicidal. Seeds 1 or 2 in each cell, obovate, 

 somewhat rugose. 



1. C. pomeridianum (Ker) K unth. Bulbs large, about 1 dm. 

 long, densely and coarsely fibrous-coated; stem and spreading 

 panicle 6-15 dm. high; leaves 2-5 dm. long, 12-30 mm. broad, 

 carinate and undulate; pedicels slender, about 6 mm. long; 

 perianth rotate, its segments 16-20 mm. long, white with purple 

 veins ; capsule about 6 mm. long. 



Common on dry hillsides and plains. May-July. 



3. AIiLIUM L. ONION. 



Scapes from a tunicated bulb or rarely from a coated 

 corm, with mostly narrowly linear basal leaves. Herb- 

 age with the characteristic odor and taste of onions. 

 Flowers in a terminal simple umbel, subtended by 2 or 3 

 membranous, separate or united bracts. Pedicels slen- 

 der, not jointed. Perianth persistent, its segments dis- 

 tinct or united at the base. Stamens inserted on the bases 

 of the perianth segments ; filaments filiform or dilated, 

 sometimes toothed. Style filiform, jointed. Capsule 

 obovate-globose, obtusely 3-lobed, often crested, loculici- 

 dally dehiscent. Seeds obovoid, wrinkled, black. 



1. A. haematochiton Wats. Scape slender, 1-3 dm. high, 

 somewhat compressed and 2-edged ; tunicated bulb oblong, crown- 

 ing a horizontal rhizome, its coats deep reddish-purple, shining; 

 leaves several, linear, flat and rather thick, 2-4 mm. broad, about 

 equaling the scape; bracts 2, short connate; umbel erect or 



