LILY FAMILY. Liliacess. 



A much smaller species than the fore- 

 going, with a very small but pretty starry 

 cluster of white flowers at the tip of the 

 stem. The leaves, light blue-green and 

 very firm, clasp the zigzag stem. The 

 flower is \ inch wide. The berries, which 

 are few, are at first spotted and finally 

 dull ruby-red. 8-16 inches high. Moist banks and 

 meadows. Me. , south to N. J. , and west. 

 Three=Ieaved A still smaller species, with generally 



False Soio= three leaves, but sometimes two or even 

 four, tapering to a sheathing base ; flowers 

 smaller than those of the preceding spe- 

 cies, and the berries red like those , of 

 the next species. 2-6 inches high. In 

 bogs or wet woods. Me., south to Penn., 

 west to Mich. 



Although the resemblance of Smilacina tn'folia to 

 3Iaianthemum Canadense (the next species described) is 

 close, the differences are easily detected by a close ob- 

 server. The (usually) three leaves of Smilacina trifolia 

 clasp the stem but are in no way heart-sliai)ed at the 

 base. This species also has six sepals and as man^^ 

 stamens, and the wiiole plant is invariably smooth, not 

 fine-hairy as is sometimes the case with the next species. 

 The berries of Smilacina and Maiantliemum are closely 

 similar, but those of Smilacina stellata are in a measure 

 harder, more opaque than any of the others, and cer- 

 tainly not blackish, as described in Gray's Manual, 6th 

 Edition, but dull red. 



False Soloo 

 mon's Seal 



Smilacina 



stellata 



White 



May-early 



June 



mon's Seal 



Smilacina 



trifolia 



White 



May-early 



June 



*- 



32 



