LILIACEiE. 1 7 1 



about the size of white mustard seed. Plant quite glabrous, the 

 leaves green and shining, paler beneath. 



All the so-called species of Tamus appear to be only sub-species. 

 The T. Cretica, with 3-lobed leaves, indeed, is possibly only a variety 

 of T. (eu-)communis; but perhaps the T, edulis (Lowe) may be a 

 ver-species, but I have seen no si)ecimens. 



Black Bryony. 

 French, Tamisier commim. German, Gemeino Schmeerwurz. 



This is the only British representative of a family of plants that afford several 

 useful esculents in tropical countries, comprising the yams vrhich form a substitute 

 for potatoes in some districts of the torrid zone. The root of our British species 

 resembles that of the yam, and is thick and tuberous and full of starch, but of too acrid 

 a quality to be used safely as food. It was formerly employed as an irritant external 

 apphcation in rheumatism, the fresh root being simply scraped and spread as a 

 plaister. The young shoots of the plant, when just emerging from the ground, may 

 be eaten like asparagus, after first soaking them in water, and boiling them for some 

 time. 



No plant that our island produces is more interesting than the common Bryony, or 

 more pleasing to watch in its development. The raphides seen under the microscope 

 in its rootstock, stem, leaves, and fruit, are very remarkable. Mr. Gulliver remarks 

 that the essential connection of raphides with the cell life of the species is illustrated 

 by the constant abundance of these bodies in the red berries of Tamus and Arum, and 

 the absence of raphides from the berries of other plants growing side by side with 

 them in the very same soil. Irrespective of its scientific interest under the micro- 

 scope, the Black Byrony is one of the most elegant of our native plants. The young 

 shoots come up tenderly in April and May, and make so little show as scarcely to be 

 seen. As the season advances, they ascend bushes and small trees, till, far above our 

 Leads, they form wreaths and festoons of a most picturesque appearance. Every 

 variety of the cordate leaf is to be seen on the stems, some being long and narrow, 

 others broad and rounded, yet all conformable to the primitive type. The petioles 

 supply beautiful ribbon-like sjiiral vessels, which when properly prejoared become 

 fine objects for the polariscope. Wkcn the berries are rijse, they hang together like 

 little grapes ; the foliage tui'us at the same time to a tawny yellow, and if it slirivels, 

 it is only to bring out so much better the shining scarlet, the abundant and bead- 

 like fruit. 



ORDER LXXXIV.—L ILIAC EiE. 



Perennial herbs, rarely with a perennial leafy, or in a few foreign 

 species sometimes an arborescent stem. Rootstock generally a tuni- 

 cated bulb or creepmg rhizome. Leaves simple, entire or (rarely) 

 serrate, sheathing at the base, often linear-lorate and parallel-veined, 

 sometimes oblong or cordate; in the latter cases with distinct ])etiolcs, 

 with the venation cancellate or consisting of a central midrib, from 



