LILY FAMILY. Liliaceae. 



There are several kinds of Zygadene, natives of North 

 America and Siberia. They mostly have coated bulbs, 

 resembling onions, and white or greenish flowers, in clusters, 

 the leaves long, smooth, folded lengthwise and springing 

 mostly from the root. The flowers are perfect or polyg- 

 amous, the six divisions alike, with one or two, greenish, 

 glandular spots at the base of each; the styles three, dis- 

 tinct; the fruit a three-lobed capsule, with several or many 

 seeds in each compartment. The name is from the Greek 

 for " yoke " and " gland, " because some kinds have a couple 

 of glands on each division of the flower. 



A handsome, rather stout plant, about 

 Zygadlnus a ^^ ^ a ^ w ith bright light-green, smooth, 



paniculdtus graceful leaves sheathing the stem, which 



Cream-white has a papery bract around its base. The 

 Spring summer flowers are in c i uste r s varying in shape, 

 Utah, Nev., Idaho J , s 



sometimes growing in a long, loose raceme 



and sometimes in a closer, pointed cluster. The divisions 

 of the rather small, cream-white flowers have short claws, 

 with a yellow gland and a stamen at the base of each. The 

 stamens are conspicuous, with swinging, yellow, shield- 

 shaped anthers, and are at first longer than the three styles, 

 which gradually lengthen and, together with the stamens, 

 give a delicate, feathery appearance to the whole flower 

 cluster. This grows on dry hillsides and in meadows. The 

 bulb is very poisonous. 



