530 LILIACEJE. (LILT FAMILY.) 



16. CONVALLARIA, L. (in part). Lily of the Valley. 



Perianth bell-shaped (white), 6-lobed, deciduous; the lobes recurved. Sta- 

 mens 6, included, inserted on the base of the perianth : anthers introrse. Ovary 

 3-celled, tapering into a stout style : stigma triangular. Ovules 4-6 in each 

 cell. Berry few-seeded (red). — A low perennial herb, glabrous, stemless, with 

 slender running rootstocks, sending up from a scaly-sheathing bud 2 oblong 

 leaves, with their long sheathing petioles enrolled one within the other so as to 

 appear like a stalk, and an angled scape bearing a one-sided raceme of pretty 

 and sweet-scented nodding flowers. (Altered from Lilium convallium, the pop- 

 ular name.) 



1. C. majalis, L. — High Alleghanies of Virginia, and southward. May. 

 — Same as the European Lily of the Valley of the gardens. (Eu.) 



17. SMILACINA, Desf. False Solomon's Seal. 



Perianth 4-6-parted, spreading, deciduous (white), with as many stamens 

 inserted at the base of the divisions. Filaments slender : anthers short, introrse. 

 Ovary 2 - 3-celled, with 2 ovules in each cell : style short and thick : stigma 

 obscurely 2-3-lobed. Berry globular, 1-2-seeded. — Perennial herbs, with 

 simple stems from creeping or thickish rootstocks, alternate nerved leaves, and 

 white, sometimes fragrant flowers in a terminal and simple or compound raceme. 

 (Name a diminutive of Smilax, to which, however, these plants bear little re- 

 semblance.) 



§ 1. SMILACINA proper. Divisions of the perianth (oblong-lanceolate) and sta- 

 mens 6, the latter longer: ovary 3-celled: ovules collateral: racemes crowded in 

 a compound raceme or close panicle : rootstock stout, fleshy. 



1. S. racem6sa, Desf. (False Spikenard.) Minutely downy (2° high) ; 

 leaves numerous, oblong or oval-lanceolate, taper-pointed, ciliate, abruptly some- 

 what petioled. — Moist copses: common. June. — Berries pale red, speckled 

 with purple, aromatic. (S. ciliata, Desf., is a dwarf state of this.) 



§ 2. ASTERANTHEMUM, Kunth. Divisions of the perianth 6, oblong-lance- 

 olate, longer than the stamens: ovary 2 -3-celled: ovules one above the other: 

 raceme single, 5 - 20-flowered : rootstock rather slender. 



2. S. stellata, Desf. Nearly glabrous, or the 7-12 oblong-lanceolate leaves 

 minutely downy beneath when young, slightly clasping ; berries blackish. — Moist 

 banks : common northward. May, June. — Plant 1°- 2° high. (Eu.) 



3. S. trifblia, Desf. Glabrous, dwarf (3'- 6' high); leaves 3 (sometimes 

 2 or 4), oblong, tapering to a sheathing base; berries red. — Cold bogs, New Eng- 

 land to Penn., Wisconsin, and northward. May. 



§3. MAlANTIIEMUM, Desf. Divisions ofthereflexed-spreading perianth (oval) 

 and the stamems 4, of equal length: ovary 2-celled: ovules collateral: raceme 

 single, many-flowered : creeping rootstocks slender. 



4. S. bifdlia, Ker. Glabrous, or somewhat pubescent, low (3' -5' high); 

 leaves mostly 2 (sometimes 3), heart-shaped, petioled, or in our plant (the var. 

 Canadensis) one or both often sessile or nearly so and clasping. — Moist woods : 

 very common, especially northward. May. (Eu.) 



