524 THE LTLY FAMILY. 



In woods and shady places, almost all over Europe and Eussian Asia, 

 except the extreme north. Occurs in several parts of England and southern 

 Scotland, but not always truly indigenous, and not recorded from Ireland. 

 Fl. spring or early summer. 



3. Angular Solonaon-seal. Polygouatum o£Eicmale, All. 

 {Convallaria PoJygonatum, Eng. Bot. t. 280.) 



Very near the common S., but of smaller stature, seldom exceeding a foot 

 in height ; the flowers rather larger and especially thicker, solitary or two 

 only in each axil, and the filaments of the stamens quite glabrous. 



With nearly the same geograpliical range as the common S., but generally 

 in more open and rocky situations, and more common in the limestone dis- 

 tricts of southern Europe. In Britain, more scarce, but undoubtedly wild 

 in several localities in England and South Wales. Fl. spring and early 

 summer. 



III. CONVAIjIiARIA. conyallaria. 



A single species, separated from Solomon-seal by the leafless flower-stem 

 bearmg a terminal raceme, and by the short beU-shaped perianth, with the 

 stamens inserted near its base. 



1. Sweet Convallaria. Convallaria majalis, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1035. Lily-of-the-Valley.) 



Eootstock creeping. Leaves radical, usually 2 together in a scaly sheath ; 

 their long footstalks enclosed one within the other so as to appear like a 

 stem ; the blade oblong, tapering at both ends, 4 to 6 inches long. Peduncle 

 leafless, radical, shorter than the leaves. Flowers drooping, beU-sliaped, of a 

 pure white, and very sweet-scented, in a loose raceme. Berries globular, red. 



In woods, dispersed over Europe and Eussian Asia, fi-om the Mediter- 

 ranean to the Arctic Cu-cle, and very common in some localities, especially 

 towards the centre and north, but totally wanting in other districts. Abim- 

 dant in some counties of England, very local or wanting in others, and 

 scarcely indigenous in Scotland or Ireland. Fl. spring. 



The two-leaved Smilaoina (Smilacina bifolia or Maianthemtim), a small 

 plant, with 2 leaves to the stem, and a terminal raceme of small flowers, 

 very common on the continent of Europe, is said to have been found in one 

 or two places in England, but probably only where it had been planted. 

 The genus is distinguished from Convallaria by the perianth divided to the 

 base, into 4 segments in the two-leaved S., or mto 6 in the few other North 

 American, European, or Asiatic species. 



IV. ASPARAGUS. ASPAEAGUS. 



Herbs, with a creeping, matted rootstock, and annual brandling stems, 

 with clusters of fine, short, subulate leaves (theoretically described as abor- 

 tive pedicels), surrounded by short scarious scales (theoretically considered 

 to be leaves or bracts). Flowers small, axillary. Perianth of 6 distinct 

 segments. Stamens 6. Ovai-y 3-celled, with 2 ovules in each cell. Style 

 single, with a 3-lobed stigma. Fruit a berry. 



