LILIACE^. 533 



ground. Flower-stem not a foot high, bearing a loose umbel of about a 

 dozen white flowers ; the spatha-bracts visually falling oif before the flower 

 expands. Perianth-segments lanceolate, very spreading. Stamens shorter, 

 all simple. 



In woods and shady places, in central and southern Europe, extending all 

 across Eussian Asia, and northward to southern Scandinavia. Dispersed 

 all over Britain, and m some places very abundant, but not everywhere 

 common. Fl. spring or early summer. 



8. Triquetrous Allium. Allium triquetrum, Linn. 



Leaves broadly hnear, flat but folded and keeled, only sheatliing the stem 

 at its very base, and sometimes very long. Flower-stem not a foot high, 

 bearing a loose, slightly drooping umbel of rather large white flowers. 

 Spatha-bracts short. Perianth-segments oblong, not spreading. Stamens 

 about half their length, all simple. 



In moist, shady places, in the Mediterranean region, from Spain to 

 Greece, unknown in France except the extreme south, but said to be abun- 

 dant in hedges all over the island of Guernsey. Fl. May and June. 



XIV. SIMETHIS. SIMETHIS. 



A single species, difiering from all British capsidar-fruited LiliacecB exceipt 

 Narthecium in its rootstock not bulbous, and from Narthedum in its pani- 

 cled flowers, deciduous perianth, and few seeds. It was formerly comprised 

 in the exotic genus Anthericum, but has been isolated on account of a dilfer- 

 ent habit, accompanied by shght differences in the stamens and the number 

 of seeds. 



1. Variegated Simethis. Simethis bicolor, Kunth. 

 {S. planifolia, Eng. Bot. Suppl. t. 2952.) 



Eootstock short, with a tuft of thick fibrous roots. Leaves aU radical, 

 long, linear, and grass-like. Stem leafless, usually under a foot high, 

 branching in the upper part, with a bract under each branch, the lowest 

 bracts oiten linear and leaf-like. Flowers erect, in a loose terminal panicle. 

 Perianth spreading, of 6 oblong segments, about 4 lines long, white inside, 

 purplish outside, especially near the tip. Stamens shorter tlian the perianth- 

 segments, inserted near their base, the filaments very woolly. Style entire. 

 Capsule 3-valved, with 2 shining black seeds in each cell. 



On heaths and open wastes, in the extreme west of Europe, from north- 

 western Africa to Kerry, in Ireland, and in a single locality in England, 

 near Bourne, in Dorsetshire, possibly introduced with the seeds of the 

 Pinaster. Fl. early summer. 



XV. NARTHECIUni. NARTHECIUM, 



A single species, with the grasslike vertical leaves, simple racemes, and 

 persistent yellow perianth of Tofieldia, but with the bearded filaments and 

 simple style of Simethis, differing from both in its minute seeds, with a 

 thread-like point at eacli end. The consistence of the perianth, firmer than 

 in the generality of Liitacece, shows an approach to the Rush family, with 

 which many botanists associate it. 



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