LILIACE^. 173 



dry, subglobose, with as many faint furrows as there are cells, indc- 

 hiscent or bursting irregularly. Seeds subglobose-ovoid, 2 to 4 in 

 each cell; testa membranous, fuscous, or "scarlet" (Wallich). 



Glabrous herbs with long, horizontally creeping, rather slender 

 white rhizomes, and a simple stem with a whorl of 4 to 10 leaves at 

 the apex. Leaves subsessile or more or less evidently stalked, mem- 

 branous, 3-ribbed, with the veins anastomosing. Flower solitary, 

 terminal, erect, rather large. 



The name of tliis genus refers to the even number of sepals, and is an adaptation 

 of the Latin word par, equal. Another derivation given by some authors is mytho- 

 logical, in honour of Paris, the son of Priamns and Hecuba. 



SPECIES T.-P ARIS QUADRIFOLIA. Linn. 



Plate MDIX. 



Reich. Ic. n. Germ, et Helv. Vol. X. Tab. CCCCXXX. 

 Billot, Fl. GaU. et Germ. Exsicc. No. 175. 



Leaves subsessile, 4 in one whorl (more rarely 3 or 5), oval or 

 oval-obovate, rather abruptly acuminated. Flowers with as many 

 sepals and petals as there are leaves in the whorl. Sepals strapshaped, 

 acute. Petals linear, very slightly exceeding the stamens. Ap- 

 pendage of the anthers about as long as the filament. Styles free to 

 the base, at length revolute, about as long as the ovary, much shorter 

 than the stamens. 



In woods and shady places. Rather local, but widely distributed, 

 extending north to the counties of Aberdeen, Moray, and Renfrew. 

 Kot known to occur in Ireland, but it " is stated by Smith to grow 

 in the wood near Ross Castle, Lake of Killarney, but has not been 

 found there by any subsequent observer." (Cyb. Hib. p. 27ii.) 



England, Scotland. Perennial. Summer. 



Rootstock about the thickness of a quill, white, with the annual 

 growths strongly marked, sending up a stem at the apex; below 

 this stem a bud is formed, which grows into a continuation of the 

 rhizome. Stem 6 inches to a foot high, with a scarious sheath at the 

 base and 4 sessile leaves in a whorl at the apex (rarely there are 3, 5, 

 or even 6 leaves instead of 4) ; these are from 2 to 4 inches long, 

 3-ribbed, reticulate-veined between the ribs, slightly attenuated at the 

 base, shortly acuminated into an acute point at the apex, deep green 

 above, paler beneath, glabrous. Peduncle 1 to 2 inches long, termi- 

 nated by a single erect flower. Sepals about 1 inch long, spreading 

 in the form of a cross. Petals very slender, a httle shorter than the 

 sepals, and more tinged with yellow. Anthers appearing as if placed 



