vii.] DIOSCORIDE&, LILIACE^:, JUNCACE^E. 185 



DIOSCORTDE^. 



The Yam family contains but one British genus, Tamus ; with one 

 species, Tamus communis (Black Bryony). A pretty, straggling creeper, 

 dioecious, with small, yellowish green flowers; the male in laxer, 

 the female in closer, racemes. 



LILIACE.E. 



This order contains seventeen British genera, including the Lily, 

 Onion, Tulip, Colchicum, Asparagus, Solomon's Seal, Fritillaria, Lily 

 of the Valley, Butcher's Broom (Ruscus), &c. 



Paris quadrifolia is proterogynous. The perianth is yellowish green, 

 and produces no honey. The structure of this curious flower has not I 

 think been satisfactorily explained. It appears to be one of the species 

 which deludes flies. The dark purple ovary glitters as if it were covered 

 by honey. 



The Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis} is likewise honeyless 

 but is much visited by Hive bees for the pollen. 



A Ilium tirsinum is melliferous, and imperfectly proterandrous ; LlovdtA 

 scrotina, on the contrary, is said by Ricca to be very decidedly so. 



Hyacinthus orientalis produces no honey, but the fleshy base of the 

 flower is pierced by some insects for the sake of the sap. 



The Common Asparagus is a cultivated variety of A. officinalis, 

 which grows on maritime sands, or sandy plains, in central and western 

 Asia, and on the south European coasts up to the English Channel. 

 The flowers are melliferous, small, greenish white, on slender stalks 

 two or three together in the axils of the branches. The species is par- 

 ticularly interesting, as an instance of an unisexual flower, which is 

 evidently descended from bisexual ancestors ; since the male flowers 

 contain a rudimentary style, the female flowers rudimentary stamens. 

 In accordance with Sprengel's rule, the male flowers are distinctly larger 

 than the female, being about six mm. long, while the female are only 

 three mm. long. 



Colchicum autumnale is proterogynous, though the stigma is still 

 capable of fertilisation when the anthers ripen. Honey is secreted by 

 the base of the stamens. 



JUNCACE^:. 



We have two genera belonging to the Juncaceas (Rushes). Jancus 

 (the Rush), with fourteen species ; and Luzula (the Woodrush) with 

 five. They are wind-fertilised, and, at least as regards some species, 

 are proterogynous. 



