CONVALLARIACEAE 61 



1. O. umbellatum L. STAR-OF-BETHLEHEM. 4 / -12 / high : leaves 

 narrowly linear : flowers 5-8, corymbose on long pedicels. Well escaped 

 from gardens in Independence. April-June. 



FAMILY 22. CONVALLARIACEAE Link. 



Herbs from rootstocks, never from bulbs or corms. Fruit a fleshy 

 berry. Otherwise as in LILIACEAE. 



Leaves scale-like. 1. ASPARAGUS. 

 Leaves not scale-like. 

 Leaves not whorled. 



Flowers in a terminal raceme. 2. VAGNERA. 



Flowers axillary. 3. SOLOMOKIA. 



Leaves three, whorled. 4. TRILLIUM. 



1. ASPARAGUS L. 



Tall, much -branching herbs with filiform branches. Flowers small, 

 with 6-parted perianth, the stamens inserted on the base of its lobes. 

 Anthers ovate or oblong. Berry globose, 6-seeded. 



1. A. officinalis L. ASPARAGUS. 2-8 high : flowers greenish, 

 axillary, drooping. Occasionally escaped from gardens. June-August. 



2. VAGNERA Adans. FALSE SOLOMON'S SEAL. 

 Whitish perianth segments six, distinct, the stamens inserted at their 

 base. Anthers ovate. Berry globular, 6-seeded. 



Flowers numerous. 1. V. racemosa. 



Flowers few. 2. V. steUata. 



1. V. racemosa (L.) Morong. l-3 high : leaves numerous, sessile, 

 oblong-lanceolate, over V wide : flowers numerous in a terminal racemose 

 panicle, V f long, 2 X/ broad: berries red, purple-spotted. Infrequent in 

 moist woods throughout. May-June. 



2. V. stellata (L. ) Morong. 1 high, glabrous and glaucous: leaves 

 oblong-lanceolate, sessile-clasping, usually less than 1' wide : flowers few, 

 racemose : berries black. Sandy woods in the Missouri bottoms near 

 Sibley ; also near Turner, Kansas. 



3. SOLOMONIA Heist. 



Tall herbs from thick, jointed and scarred rootstocks, bearing many 

 leaves. Flowers axillary, drooping on jointed pedicels. Perianth oblong- 

 cylindric, 6-lobed, the 6 stamens inserted on its tube and included. An- 

 thers sagittate. Berry globular, 6-18-seeded. 



1. S. commutata (R. & S. ) Britton. SOLOMON'S SEAL. l-8 

 high : leaves lanceolate to ovate, smooth, somewhat clasping : peduncles 

 1-8-flowered : filaments smooth, adnate to middle of perianth tube. 

 Rather common in rich woods throughout. June. 



