338 NATURAL HISTORY. 



like a lady's shoe. Grows in meadows and t Root tuber- 

 Newfoundland to Carolina ; rare in Europe ; fine fibres ; 

 on mountains. 2. v ms springing 



Vanilla Plant (Vanilla aromatica), platuite sessile, is 

 has a climbing stalk, which twines or fast* of a beautiful 

 trees, like ivy ; leaves fleshy, ovate, or lar-he plant, both 

 succulent, round, and about as thick as -n the stigmas, 

 itself by its joints in the bark ^-f^fiirGh. Native of the 

 terminal racemes ; fiir in South Germany, France, and 

 nortacJn tlvry 1 , also in America. The odor is penetrat- 

 ing and aromatic, and, if largely inhaled, narcotic ; taste 

 spicy, bitter. Used for coloring, in cookery, and medi- 

 cinally. As it commands a high price, it is often adul- 

 terated. 2 . 



The Narcissus Poefs Narcissus (Narcissus poeticus). 

 Scape about a foot high, straight, one flowering, two 

 edged ; flowers mostly white, but having the crown sin- 

 gularly adorned with circles of crimson, yellow, and 

 white. Very fragrant, wherefore it is frequently planted 

 in gardens. Native of southern Europe ; found in mea- 

 dows. ^ . 



Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) is snow-white, the out- 

 side slightly tinged with green. These beautiful flowers 

 come forth in early spring, peering above the snow. 

 Root a small brown bulb ; leaves which do not appear 

 until after the flower is faded, are long and of a bright 

 green color. ^. 



The Amaryllis or Jacobea Lily (Amaryllis formosis- 

 sima) is also a bulbous root ; flower fine dark red, some- 

 what nodding, is very splendid ; perianth, or flower- 

 envelope, six-cleft, comes before the leaves. A native of 

 Mexico, often grown with us in large pots ; blooming in 

 spring, is a favorite parlor flower. O- 



