338 ORDER 144. SMIL ACE M. 



Grass-like plants, with compressed, winged or ancipital scapes, from 

 fibrous roots. June, July. 



8. Hermudlana L. In tufts : Ivs. linear, erect, about as long as the scapes ; ppathe 

 2-5-flowered, valves unequal ; flowers small, blue ; segments obovate, notched and 

 mucronate ; pedicels slender ; pods globular, 8 12'. 



a. anceps. Scapes winged, so as to resemble the leaves. 



ft. mucronatum. Scapes barely 2-edged, filiform ; spatne pointed. 



8. GLADIOLUS, L. CORN-FLAG. Spathe 2-leaved. Perianth irregu- 

 lar, 6-parted, somewhat 2-lipped. Stamens 3, distinct, ascending. Stig. 3, 

 broader above. Seeds winged. U A large genus of bulbous plants, chielly 

 from S. Africa. Fls. large and splendid. The species are badly confused 



1 G. P8ITTACINU8. Spike 8-10-flowered ; flowers scarlet and yellow, spotted, the t.nbc 



as long as the segments. From this is derived many hybrids, as 

 ft. GANDAVIZNSIS, variegated with orange, scarlet, and yellow. Common. 



2 G. CARDINALIS. Spikes few-flowered, the flowers crimson, with a white stripe in t.hf 



lower 3 segments ; stem branched above, 2f. Not hardy. 



3 G. FLORIBUNDUS. Flowers very large, nearly erect, upper segments broader, pint 



varying to white ; spike long and crowded. Very delicate. 



ORDER CXLIII. DIOSCOREACE^E. YAM-ROOTS. 



Plants shrubby, twining, arising from tuberous rhizomes, with broad, 

 net- veined leaves. Flowers dioecious, regular, hexandrous, tube adherent, 

 limb 6-parted. Ovary 3-celled, 3-6-ovuled, 3-styled. S Stamens 6, perigy- 

 nous. Fruit a capsule, 3- or (by abortion) 1-celled, or a berry. Seeds com- 

 pressed, albuminous. 



DIOSCOREA, L. YAM-ROOT. Flowers $ $ . Styles of the fertile 3. 

 Cells of the caps. 2-seeded. Sds. membranaceously margined. *> Slender, 

 twining with the sun. Lvs. simple, palmately-veined or divided. Flow- 

 ers green, inconspicuous, in axillary spikes or panicles. 



1 J>. Tlllosa L. Wild Yam. Leaves broadly ovate, cordate, acuminate, 9-11-veined, 



the lower opposite or in 4's, upper alternate, petioles long, under surface downy, 

 (never villous); stem slender, climbing 5 15f, over bushes, <fcc. June, July. 



2 D. BATTVA. Yarti. Leaves round-ovate, long-cuspidate, sinuate, cordate, all alter- 



nate, smooth ; stems sometimes prickly. Root large and sweet. 8. 



ORDER CXLIV. SMILACE J3. SARSAPARILLAS. 



Herbs or shrubs, often climbing. Leaves reticulate-veined. Flowers dioe- 

 cious. Perianth free from the ovaiy, 6-parted, regular. Siemens 6, in- 

 serted into the base of the segments. Anthers 1-celled (2-lamellate). Ovary 

 'j-celled, cells 1- or 2-ovuled. Style 1 or none. Stigmas 3. Berry round- 

 ish. Seeds orthotropous, albuminous. Fig. 396. 



SMILAX, L. GREEN-BRIER. SARSAPAHILLA. Character nearly as 

 above. *> > Lvs. pamiately-veined, entire, petiolate, with a pair of stipu- 

 lar ( 325, Fig. 396) tendrils. Flowers green or yellowish, small, in stalked, 

 axillary umbels. 



