LILIACE^E. 



Nat. syst. ed. 2. p. 351 . 



ERYTHRONIUM. 



Segments of the perianth reflexed, every other one with 2 

 tubercles at the base. Stamens 6, inserted into the base of the 

 perianth, shorter than the pistil. Style furrowed, 3-cornered. 

 Stigma either triangular or consisting of 3 spreading channelled 

 plates. Capsule turbinate-globose, erect, with the valves bear- 

 ing the placentae. 



1247. E americanum Bot. Mag. t. 1113. Nuttall gen. i. 223. 

 Bigelow med. bot. iii. t. 58. E. lanceolatum Pursh. fl. am. 

 sept. i. 230. Woods and fields in the United States. 



Cormus situated deep in the ground, brown outside, white and 

 homogeneous within. The whole plant smooth and glossy. Scape 

 naked, slender. Leaves 2, nearly equal, lanceolate, veinless, of a dark 

 brownish-green, clouded with irregular spots, sheathing the scape with 

 their base, and terminating in an obtuse callous point. Flower solitary, 

 drooping. Sepals and petals lanceolate, yellow, the sepals partly crim- 

 son on the outside ; the petals with an obscure tooth on each side near 

 the base. In a clear sun the flowers are expanded and revolute, but at 

 night and on cloudy days, they are nearly closed. Filaments flat ; 

 anthers oblong-linear. Ovary obovate, style longer than the stamens, 

 club-shaped, 3-lobed at top and terminating in 3 distinct, but not 

 detached stigmas. Capsule oblong-obov*e, somewhat pedicelled. 

 The fresh root emetic in doses of 25 grains ; leaves said to be more 

 active than the root. 



124-8. Gloriosa superba Linn, has a root which is said to be a 

 most violent poison. 



ALETRIS. 



Perianth half-inferior, tubular, with a 6- cleft spreading limb ; 

 obscurely hexagonal, scabrous and shrivelled externally. Stamens 

 inserted into the base of the segments ; filaments flat ; anthers 

 somewhat sagittate. Ovary 3-lobed, pyramidal ; style com- 

 posed of 3 connate bristles ; stigma simple. Capsule enclosed 

 in the perianth, pyramidal, 3 coccous, opening at the point in 

 3 directions. Seeds numerous, very minute, striated. 



124-9. Aletris farinosa Linn, sp.pl. 456. Bot. Mag. t. 1418. 

 Bigelow med. bot. iii. t. 50. Bot. Cab. t. 1161. R. and S. 

 vii. 626. Fields and edges of woods in the United States. 



Leaves radical, in a single circle, sessile, ribbed, lanceolate, and 

 smooth. Stem from 1 to 3 feet high, invested with remote scales, 

 which sometimes expand into small leaves. Spike slender, scattered, 



590 



