LILY FAMILY. Lillaccac. 



are thatched with the shaggy husks of dead leaves and 

 from their tips they thrust out a great bunch of dagger- 

 like leaves and a big, ponderous cluster of pallid, greenish 

 flowers or heavy, yellowish fruits. The coarse flowers 

 are about two inches across, with a clammy smell like 

 toadstools, and the bracts are dead white. This grows 

 in the Mohave Desert and is at its best around Hesperia, 

 where one may see the most fantastic forest that it is 

 possible to imagine. Elsewhere it is smaller and more like 

 other Yuccas in shape. It was called Joshua Tree by the 

 early settlers, it is said because they fancied that its 

 branches pointed towards the Promised Land. The fruits 

 are relished by the Indians, who utilize the fibers from the 

 leaves for weaving baskets, ropes, hats, horse-blankets, 

 etc., and make a pulp from the stems, used for soap. 



There are several kinds of Trillium, of North America 

 and Asia; with tuberous root-stocks; three, netted- veined 

 leaves, in a whorl at the top of the stem; a single flower 

 with three, green sepals, three petals, six, short stamens, 

 and three styles; capsule berry-like and reddish, containing 

 many seeds. The Latin name means "triple." 



A charming plant, about a foot tall, 

 Birthroot with a single beautiful blossom, set off to 



Trillium ovbtum perfection by its large, rich green leaves. 

 The flower is two or three inches across, 



6 ' With 10Vely WhitG P etals ' which S raduall y 

 change to deep pink. It is a pleasure to ', 



find a company of these attractive plants in the heart of 

 the forest, where their pure blossoms gleam in the cool 

 shade along some mountain brook. They resemble the 

 eastern Large-flowered Trillium and grow in the Coast 

 Ranges. 



