536 



A TEXTBOOK OF BOTANY 



[Cn. XIII 



regular flowers. Many are bulbous perennials, that is, 

 they send up annual shoots from underground, perennial 

 bulbs (page 73). The Lily Family proper (Liliacece), of 

 some 2000 species, includes many 

 of the favorites of our gardens, 

 Lilies, ^Tulips, Hyacinths, Trillium, 

 Scilla, Lil^of the Valley, Solomon's 

 Seal, Adder's Tongue, with Onion 

 and many more. In another division 

 of Liliacese occur Asparagus (Aspar- 

 agus Fern of florists) and Ruscus 

 (Fig. 140) ; in another the Aloe, very 

 like Century Plant, the Yucca or 

 Spanish Bayonet, Cordyline (Fig. 

 35), and the great Dracsena or Dragon 

 Tree (Fig. 84), for these are the 

 Monocotyledons which can grow 

 indefinitely in diameter, even to 

 massive trees (page 128). 



In the same order belongs the 

 Amaryllis Family (Amaryllidacece) 

 differing from Liliacese in the inferior 

 ovary, and also including many 

 gardeli favorites, Amaryllis, Nar- 

 cissus with Jonquil and Daffodil, 

 Snowdrop, Tuberose, and some glori- 

 ous greenhouse kinds. Here also is 

 Agave, the monocarpic Century 

 Plant (page 114, Fig. 381). Allied 

 is the Iris Family (Iridacece), differ- 

 ing from Amaryllidacese in having 

 only three stamens, and including 

 Iris or Fleur-de-lis in its many beautiful forms, Crocus, 

 Freesia, and Gladiolus. In the same order are also the 

 Rushes (Juncacece) , the familiar slender-columnar, water-side 

 herbs with flowers like small green Lilies. Many members 



FIG. 381. A 

 Plant, Agave americana, in 

 bloom ; X ^V 



The leaves have collapsed 

 through loss of their stored 

 food to the developing 

 flower cluster. The plant 

 flowers but once, and then 

 dies. (From Bailey.) 



