172 ENGLISH EOTANY. 



which parallel veins are given off; I'arely the leaves are reduced to 

 scales, and the branches assume the appearance of leaves {dadodia). 

 Flowers perfect or (rarely) polygamous, variously disposed, often on a 

 leafless scape. Perianth regular or rarely irregular, free from the 

 ovary, or only slightly adhering to its base, of 6 (rarely 8 or 4) 

 leaves, jdl similar and petaloid, or the outer ones herbaceous on 

 the back (rarely all herbaceous) or monophyllous and coloured and 

 6-cleft or 6-toothed. Stamens as many as the lobes of the perianth 

 and opposite to them, inserted on their base or hypogynous, rarely 

 only 3 by the other tlu'ee being sterile, or more than 6 by the addition 

 of other stei'ile ones forming an additional row or crown; anthers 

 affixed by the base, or by the middle of the back, introrse or extrorse. 

 Ovary superior, free from the pei-ianth tube, or rarely adhering to it at 

 the base, with the cells half as many as the perianth segments, i.e. 

 generally 3-celled, rarely 1-celled, or of 3 separate carpels; ovules 

 definite or indefinite, attached to the inner angle of the cells or car- 

 pels, or parietal in those species which have a 1-celled ovary; style 

 single or more rarely as many as the cells of the ovary. Fruit a 

 capsule, loculicidally 3-valved, or septicidally 3-valved, or an inde- 

 hiscent berry. Seeds with a testa of various consistence; albumen 

 fleshy or horny, copious. 



Sub-Obdee I.— TRILLEJi). 



Leaves of the perianth free, the outer ones herbaceous, the inner 

 ones smaller and herbaceous or larger and petaloid, or absent, very 

 rarely all coloured and similar. Styles or stigmas free. Fruit a berry. 



Herbs with creeping root stocks more or less thickened. Stem 

 simple, with whorled leaves. Leaves few, with reticulated veins. 



GENUS /.— P A R I S. Linn. 



Flowers perfect. Perianth leaves free, herbaceous, at length de- 

 ciduous, in two rows, variable in number, but commonly 4 in each 

 row; the outer segments spreading or recurved; the inner ones 

 smaller and much narrower, linear, spreading, rarely absent. Stamens 

 8, or twice as many as the outer row of perianth segments; filaments 

 linear-subulate, inserted on the very base of the perianth segments ; 

 anthers appeudiculatc, extrorse. Ovary free, sessile, subglobose, 4- 

 or 5-celled; ovules 4 to 7 in each cell; styles or stigmas filiform 

 or subulate, as many as the cells of the ovary, free. Berry fleshy or 



