rori'LAH ri/»H.\. 



213 



98. COLCHICUM FAMILY. OnKi MKLANTHACK.E. 



Ilerbp, with jianillt'l-veiiiod lenves ; tlic lluwt rs generally ])ort'eL't or jiolvj^'ainon^ ; tlie 

 ps-riautli ot 6 similar divisions coloure«l ulilic ; tiie 6 stamens with tlieir anthers turiUMl 

 outward?. Ovary i, 3-L'c'llt'd, liL-aiing 3 styles, which are generally seiiarate, hut som<'- 

 tiuies united into one. Many are acrid or ]'oi.sonons plants, none more so than tin- 

 eonimon Veratiiim or Whito-IIellehore, whi*-.. is o!tcn called Po/iV, a name wiiicli pro- 

 jK.'rly Ijclongs to I'iiytolacca, p. 195. 



Flower and leaves rising from a conn underground : periiuitli a long tuhe, Ix-nring 6 



similar itctal-like lobes, (<'ulchiruin}*COLCHlCV^. 



Flowers ^yith a iierianth of 6 separate leaves. 



Perianth persisting or vvitliering witliout falling. Plants .acrid poisonous : (lowers 



polygamous, in panicles, terminating the simple leafy stem. 

 Divisions of the peiianlh on claws, hearing the stamens : leaves narrow : flowers 



eream-colonied, turning greenisli-hrown with age, {Mriiinlliiinn^ .MklanTHIUM, 



Divisions of the perianth without claws, greenish. Leaves oval or ohlong, paitly 



clasping, plaited, (yeratnun) Whitk-Hki.lkbore. 



Perianth falling off after flowering. Plants not poisonous : stems gener.illy forking : 

 leaves sessile or clasjung, ovate or lance-oblong : flowers perfect, geneix.ily 

 single, nodding : divisions of the peri inth long and narn»vv. 

 Styles uniied into one at the bottom. Perianth large, lily-like, yellowish : 



fruit a few-seeded pod. Flower-stalk not twisted or jointed, ( f'ru/tir.a) BelLWORT. 

 Stjdes united into one almost to the top. Divisions of the whitish or rose- 

 coloured perianth recurved : fruit a many-seeded red berry. Flower- 

 stalks single in tiie axil of the leaves, and with a joint or abrujit bend or 

 twist in the nuddle, (Slnptupus) TwiST-STALK. 



Bell wort. I'vularia. 



1. LARGE-FroWKHKl) P.. Leaves oblong, clasping-jjerfcdiate, i.e., the stem appearing to run through 



the lower part of the leaf ; perianth pale greenish-yellow, i.V long, Kich wuotls, N. and VT, 

 (All the species flower in the spring). U. (/van'iiHdni. 



2. Pkkfoliatk 15. Like the last, but tlie flower .smaller and yellow, and the anthers more pointed. 



Common K. U. pir/olidtn. 



3. Sk.ssii,k-i.kavkd B. Smaller than the rest ; leaves sessile, not encompassing the stem ; flower 



cream-colour. U. sessilijolia. 



99. LILY FAMILY. Order LILTACK/K. 



A lart:;e family, with much variety in appearance. Tjoaves parallel-veined, and ses.« '• 

 {?lieathing. Flowers ])erl'ect and re.^Mihir ; llu; ]>< riantli of 6 divisions or l(d)es (or iu .q 

 case with only 4), all coloured alike, inserted on the receptacle free from the ovary. 

 Stamens as many as tlie parts of the periantli, with their anthers turned inwards. Pistil 

 I, with a 3-celled (rarely 2-celled) ovary and a single style ; but with as many stigmas, 

 or lobes to th.e stigma, as there are cells iu the ovary. Fruit a pud or a berry. 



