466 LILIACEJC. (LILT FAMILY.; 



1. ASPARAGUS, L. ASPARAGUS. 



Perianth 6-parted, spreading above : the 6 stamens at their base. Style short ; 

 Btigma 3-lobed. Berry spherical, 3-celled; the cells 2-seeded. Perennials, 

 with much-branched stems from thick and matted rootstocks, very narrow leaves 

 in clusters, and small greenish-yellow axillary flowers. (The ancient Greek 

 name.) 



1. A OFFICINALIS, L. (GARDEN ASPARAGUS.) Herbaceous ; bushy- 

 branched; leaves thread-like. Sparingly escaped from gardens into waste 

 places on the coast. June. (Adv. from Eu.) 



2. POL.YGONATUM, Tourn. SOLOMON'S SEAL. 



Perianth tubular, 6-lobed at the summit ; the 6 stamens inserted on or above 

 the middle of the tube, included. Ovary 3-celled, with 2-6 ovules in each cell : 

 style slender, deciduous by a joint : stigma obtuse or capitate, obscurely 3-lobed. 

 Berry globular, black or blue ; the cells 1 - 2-seeded. Perennial herbs, with 

 simple erect or curving stems, rising from creeping thick and knotted rootstocks, 

 above bearing nearly sessile or half-clasping nerved leaves, and axillary nod- 

 ding greenish flowers. (The ancient name, composed of TroXvs, many, and 

 yoi/u, knee, alluding to the numerous joints of the rootstocks and stems.) 

 Ours are all alternate-leaved species, and with the stem terete or scarcely angled 

 when fresh. 



1. P. bifloriuil, Ell. (SMALLER SOLOMON'S SEAL.) Glabrous, except 

 the ovate-oblong or lance-oblong nearly sessile Leaves, which are commonly mi- 

 nutely pubescent, at least on the veins (but sometimes smooth), as well as pale or 

 glaucous underneath; stem slender (l-3high); peduncles 1-3- but mostly 2- 

 flowered ; filaments papillose-roughened, inserted towards the summit of the cylin- 

 drical-oblong perianth. (Convallaria biflora, Walt. C. pubescens, Willd. Po- 

 ly gonatum pubescens, angustifolium, & multiflorun^PursA.) Wooded banks; 

 common. Perianth %' long, greenish. 



2. P. gigaiiteum, Dietrich. (GREAT SOLOMON'S SEAL.) Glabrous 

 throughout; stem stout and tall (3 -8 high), terete; leaves ovate, partly clasp- 

 ing (5' -8' long), or the upper oblong and nearly sessile, many-nerved, green 

 both sides ; peduncles several- (2-8-) flowered ; filaments smooth and naked, or nearly 

 so, inserted on the middle of the tube of the cylindrical-oblong perianth. (Con- 

 vallaria canaliculata, Willd. Poly gonatum canaliculatum, Pursh. P. commu- 

 tatum, Dietrich.) River-banks and woods, in alluvial soil; not rare. June. 

 (The stem not being at all channelled in the living plant, it is better to dis 

 card the earlier name of canaliculatum.) Pedicels '-!' long: perianth f 

 long. v 



3. P. latifolium. Desf. Upper part of the stem (2-3 high), the 1 - 5- 

 flowered peduncles, pedicels, and lower surface of the ovate or oblong mostly 

 petioled leaves more or less pubescent ; filaments glabrous. (P. hirtum, Pursh. Con- 

 vallaria hirta, Poir.) Pennsylvania, MuJdenberg ! This appears to be essen- 

 tially the European P. latifolium. 



P. MULTIFLORUM, with hirsute filaments, I have never seen in this country. 



