LILY FAMILY. Liliacew. 



The pendulous position of the flowers of this genus, is 



in a great measure protective ; the wind and weather can 



not injure or uselessly scatter the pollen. The flowers, 



moreover, have sliort styles and long anthers, and are 



unquestionably cross-fertilized by the larger bees ; the 



bumblebees Boinbus vagans, and. Bombusj^ennsylvaniciis 



are common visitors, together with innumerable small 



insects. 



The oblong-ovate, light green leaves 

 Solomon's Seal « i i • j i u ^i 



Pohjuonatum smooth or finely hany and paler beneath, 



biflonuH arranged alternately either side of the 



Pale green slender, smooth stem ; the cylindrical and 



April-June tassellike perfect flowers (each having six 

 stamens) depend in clusters of two, rarely three, belo^^' 

 them. An extremely pretty and graceful plant when 

 under cultivation. The fruit, at first a green berry with 

 a whitish bloom, at last becomes blue-black and resembles 

 a small Concord grape ; it imparts an additionally decora- 

 tive appearance to the plant. 1-3 feet high. Common 

 in thickets beside woodlands, and on hillsides. Me., 

 south, and west to E. Kan., Neb., and Tex. 



The plant is taller and smooth, icithout 

 Solomon's Seal *^^® ^^® hairiness. Leaves ovate, pointed, 

 Polygonatum and partly clasping the plant-stem, 3-8 

 giganteum inches long, and many-ribbed. Flowers 



Pale Green j^ clusters of from two to eight. Stem 



jyl stout and round. 2-8 feet high. Meadows 



and river banks. Me., south to Va., and 

 west to the Rockv Mts. 



36 



