68 THE AMARYLLIS FAMILY. 



lily exhales its almost stupifying breath, so redolent is it of an intensely 

 heavy perfume. Usually it grows by water, but it is not dependent on 

 moisture nor confined to the banks of the rivers, as it is also found in dry 

 soil. 



As a genus these plants are known, for one thing, by the graceful crown 

 which unites their fiUments, and which gives to many of them a curious, 

 although enchanting appearance. 



H. lacera is quite distinctive from the preceding species ; its linear-oblong 

 leaves being much broader and also because of the flower's almost bowl- 

 shaped crown. Often its slender perianth segments are fully four inches 

 long. It is only seldom that more than two flowers are borne at the end of 

 the scape. 



H. crassifblia bears at the summit of its scape two very large, yellow- 

 ish white flowers which have a greatly extended perianth-tube and a large, 

 funnel-shaped crown. The leaves are strap-shaped, erect and somewhat 

 shorter than the glaucous scape. In Florida it is found through low barrens. 



STAR GRASS. 



H\ 'pox is jiincea. 



FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Amaryllis. Yellciv. Scentless. Fla. afid Gn. ^vestward. March^ April. 



Flowers : solitary, or a few growing on villous pedicels in an umbel at the end 

 of a slender scape, and being subtended by bristle-like bracts. Perianth: with 

 six, oblong i^ointed segments, widely spreading, the outer ones greenish and hairy 

 on their outsides. Stamens: inserted at the base of the perianth. Filaments : 

 short. Stigjuas : three. Leaves: from the base, grass-like or filiform; sparingly 

 hairy. Scape : four to nine inches long; pubescent towards the apex. 



From a small rootstock this pretty plant springs, and is truly a little 

 missionary of light and cheerfulness as it occurs through pine barrens, 

 where from a long distance its star-like face can often be seen peering out 

 from the grass. There is, in fact, much about these blossoms to suggest 

 the family of Sisyrinchiiuiis, the members of which, however, have either 

 blue or purple flowers. 



H, hirsiita, yellow star-grass, is very similar in general characteristics to 

 the preceding species. In detail it has broader leaves, and a more conspicu- 

 ous woolly white pubescence. Its range also is more extended, being from 

 Texas and Florida to Maine. Formerly the little plant was called the " Star 

 of Bethlehem." 



