530 LILIACE^E. (LILY FAMILY.) 



16. CONVALLARIA, L. (in part). LILY OF THE VALLEY. 



Perianth bell-shaped (white), 6-lobed, deciduous; the lobes recurved. Sta- 

 mens 6, included, inserted on the base of the perianth : anthers introrse. Ovary 

 3-celled, tapering into a stout style : stigma triangular. Ovules 4 - 6 in each 

 cell. Berry few-seeded (red). A low perennial herb, glabrous, stemless, with 

 slender running rootstocks, sending up from a scaly-sheathing bud 2 oblong 

 leaves, with their long sheathing petioles enrolled one within the other so as to 

 appear like a stalk, and an angled scape bearing a one-sided raceme of pretty 

 and sweet-scented nodding flowers. (Altered from Lilium convallium, the pop- 

 ular name.) 



1. C. majalis, L. High Alleghanies of Virginia, and southward. May. 

 Same as the European LILY OF THE VALLEY of the gardens. (Eu.) 



17. SMILACINA, Desf. FALSE SOLOMON'S SEAL. 



Perianth 4-6-parted, spreading, deciduous (white), with as many stamens 

 inserted at the base of the divisions. Filaments slender : anthers short, introrse. 

 Ovary 2 - 3-celled, with 2 ovules in each cell: style short and thick: stigma 

 obscurely 2-3-lobed. Berry globular, 1-2-seeded. Perennial herbs, with 

 simple stems from creeping or thickish rootstocks, alternate nerved leaves, and 

 white, sometimes fragrant flowers in a terminal and simple or compound raceme. 

 (Name a diminutive of Smilax, to which, however, these plants bear little re- 

 semblance.) 



1. SMILACINA proper. Divisions of the perianth (oblong-lanceolate) and sta- 

 mens (j, t the latter longer: ovary 3-celled: ovules collateral: racemes crowded in 

 a compound raceme or close panicle : rootstock stout, fleshy. 



1. S. racemosa, Desf. (FALSE SPIKENARD.) Minutely downy (2 high) ; 

 leaves numerous, oblong or oval-lanceolate, taper-pointed, ciliate, abruptly some- 

 what petioled. Moist copses: common. June. Berries pale red, speckled 

 with purple, aromatic. (S. ciliata, Desf., is a dwarf state of this.) 



2. ASTERANTHEMUM, Kunth. Divisions of the perianth 6, oblong-lance- 

 olate, longer than the stamens: ovary 2 -3-celled: ovules one above the other: 

 raceme single, 5 - 20-flowered : rootstock rather slender. 



2. S. stellata, Desf. Nearly glabrous, or the 7-12 oblong-lanceolate leaves 

 minutely downy beneath when young, slightly clasping ; berries blackish. Moist 

 banks : common northward. May, June. Plant l-2 high. (Eu.) 



3. S. trif61ia, Desf. Glabrous, dwarf (3' - 6' high); leaves 3 (sometimes 

 2 or 4), oblong, tapering to a sheathing base; berries red. Cold bogs, New Eng- 

 land to Penn., "Wisconsin, and northward. May. 



3. MAlANTHEMUM, Desf. Divisions of 'the reflexed-spreading perianth (oval) 

 and the stamems 4, of equal length : ovary 2-celled : ovules collateral : raceme 

 single, many-flowered: creeping rootst oclcs- slender. 



4. S. bifolia, Ker. Glabrous, or somewhat pubescent, low (3' -5' high); 

 leaves mostly 2 (sometimes 3), heart-shaped, petioled, or in our plant (the var. 

 CANADENSIS) one or both often sessile or nearly so and clasping. Moist woods : 

 very common, especially northward. May. (Eu.) 



