LILIACE^. 525 



A considerable genus, chiefly African, with a few south^ European or 

 Asiatic species, all readily kuown by the fohage. 



1. Common Aspciragus. Asparagus officinalis, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 339.) 



Stems erect and much branched, usually 1 to 2 feet high in the wild 

 state, attaining 4 or 5 feet when cultivated, and elegantly feathered by the 

 numerous clusters of fine subulate leaves, about half an inch long. Flowers 

 small, of a greenish white, hanging on slender pedicels, 2 or 3 together in 

 the axUs of the principal branches, many of them with stamens only. Ber- 

 ries small, red, and globular. 



In maritime sands, or in sandy plains, in central and western Asia, aU 

 round the Mediterranean, and up the western coasts of Europe to the 

 Enghsh Channel. In Britain, confined to the western and south-western 

 shores of England. Fl. stimmer. 



V. RUSCUS. EUSCUS. 



Shrub-lite herbs, with a perennial rootstock, hard, green, branching stems, 

 and alternate, stiff, evergreen, parallel-veined leaves (theoretically shown to 

 be short leaf-like branches), with minute, often microscopical scales (the real 

 leaves) imderneath them. Flowers small, mostly unisexual, apparently 

 sessile on the middle of the leaf. Perianth of 6 distinct segments. Stamens 

 united in a tube, with 3 or 6 anthers. Ovary 3-celled, with 2 ovules in each 

 cell. Style simple, with an undivided stigma. Fruit a berry. 



A small European and North African genus, easily known among Eu- 

 ropean Monocotyledons by its stiff", shrub-hke habit. 



1. Common Huscus. Ruscus aculeatus, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 560. Butcher's Broom.) 

 A rigid, dark green, much branched plant, 2 to 3 feet high; the st-ems 

 said to be biennial, although apparently shrubby. Leaves numerous, ovate, 

 all terminating in a prickly point. Flowers small and white, apparently 

 sessile in the middle of what is really the upper surface of the leaf, though 

 it is usually turned downwards by a twist of the leaf at its base ; and a close 

 examination will show that the flower is in fact borne on a pedicel arising 

 from the axil of the leaf and closely aduate to the surface, with a minute 

 bract under the flower. Berries red. 



In woods and bushy places, m west central and southern Europe, ex- 

 tending eastward to the Caucasus and northward to Belgium, but not into 

 Germany. Abundant in some of the southern counties of England, but 

 not truly wild in northern England, Scotland, or Ireland. Fl. spring. 



VI. PRITILLARY. FEITILLAETA. 



Bulbous herbs, with a leafy stem, and one or more rather long, drooping 

 flowers in a terminal raceme. Perianth bell-shaped, with distinct segments 

 as in Tulip., but the 3 inner segments have near tlietr base a nectariferous 

 cavity. Stamens inserted at the very base of the perianth, the anthers at- 

 tached a little above their base. Capsule as in Tulip. 



