LILY FAMILY. Llliaccae. 



There are many kinds of Brodiaea, among the prettiest 

 western flowers. They have a small, solid bulb, coated | 

 with brownish fibers. The stem bears a bracted, roundish j 

 head of flowers at the top, the pedicels varying in length. I 

 Their leaves, all from the root, are grasslike and soon wither! 

 and the flowers dry up, become papery, and remain on the! 

 stalk, sometimes keeping form and color for some time, j 

 The stamens are in two sets and are attached to the flower- 1 

 tube, their filaments often winged. Sometimes three of the ! 

 stamens are without anthers and their filaments are broad- 1 

 ened, so that they look like small petals alternating with 

 the ordinary stamens. 



All through the spring these lovely j 

 Grass Nuts. Blue flow ^ w abundantly all over the hills ! 



Dicks. Covena 



Brodiata capitbta an d fields of California. The slender stalks 

 Blue, violet vary from a few inches to two feet tall. I 



Spring The flowers are usually purplish-blue, but 



vary from deep-violet to white and are 

 rather translucent in texture. They measure over half anj 

 inch across and grow in a cluster of seven or eight flowers, j 

 with several membranous, purplish bracts at the base.J 

 There are six anthers. The three inner stamens are winged ] 

 and form a crown in the throat of the flower- tube. These! 

 Brodiaeas last a long time in water and are great favorites] 

 everywhere. The little bulbs are edible and give the name j 

 of Grass Nuts. There are several other names, such asj 

 Cluster Lily and Hog-onion. The name Wild Hyacinth isj 

 poor, as it does not resemble a hyacinth in character. B. 

 capitata var. pauciflbra of Arizona is similar, except that! 



the bracts are white. Covena is the Arizona j 



name. 



Ookow Much like the last, except that only 



Brodiata congesta three of the stamens have anthers and the 

 Blue, violet stem j g some ti me s as much as five feet tall. } 



wa n s Z'^r r This r ws n p en hms in the c ast 



Cal. Ranges. 



16 



