LILIACEAE 143 



1. Flowers racemose; stems spiny; "leaves'' (cladodes) narrow, flattened. 



1. A. spengeri 

 1. Flowers solitary or fascicled; "leaves" (cladodes) setaceous. 

 2. Erect, unarmed, the branches verticillately spreading; "leaves" 



(cladodes) 5 to 15 mm long 2. A. officinalis 



2. Climbing or ascending, branches and branchlets horizontally spreading; 

 "leaves" (cladodes) 5 mm long or less 3. A. plumosus 



*1. A. SPRENGERI Regel. 



Stems straggling or pendulous, round, striate, the branchlets subtended 

 by slender sharp spines 0.5 cm long or less. Cladode^. (br'anclxlets ) tufted, 

 flattened, linear, straight or curved, 1 to 1.5 cm,'"long. Racemes axillary, 

 spreading, 2 to 5 cm long. Flowers white, somewhat fragrant, about 5 mm 

 in diameter, the anthers orange-yellow. Fruits globose, red, fleshy, about 

 8 mm in diameter, Containing about 2 seeds. 



Quite common in cultivation as an ornamental plant, flowering and 

 fruiting freely. A plant of recent introduction, a native of South Africa. 



*2. A. OFFICINALIS L. Espdrrago (Sp.) ; Asparagus. 



^n erect, unarmed, branched herb 2 m high, or here usually much less, 

 the stem and branches green. Leaves (scales) very, minute, the cladodes 

 (branchlets) fascicled, slender terete, 0.5 to 1.5 cm long. Flowers axillary, 

 fascicled, solitary or in pairs, pedicelled, the perianth straw-yellow, or 

 greenish-yellow, about 5 mm long. Fruit globose, fleshy, red. 



Cultivated for ornamental purposes and by Chinese gardeners for the 

 local market, fl. most of the year. A native of Europe, now cultivated in 

 all temperate and subtemperate regions. 



*3. A. PLUMOSUS Baker. 



A slender, climbing or ascending, branched perennial, the stems round, 

 green, the , branches and branchlets very numerous, slender, spreading 

 horizontally forming fern-like sprays, the upper internodes 1 to 2 mm long. 

 Cladodes setaceous, very slender, 3 to 5 mm long, ascending or spreading, 

 6 to 12 in a fascicle. Flowers small, perfect, solitary at the ends of the 

 branches, the pedicels very short, about 1 mm long. Perianth-segments 

 about 2 mm long, spreading. 



Cultivated for ornamental purposes, of recent introduction here. A 

 native of South Africa, now cultivated In most warm countries. 



3. ALLIUM Linnaeus 



Rank-scented herbs from underground tunicated bulbs, the leaves narrow, 

 flat or cylindric, the flowers capitate or umbelled at the apex of an erect 

 scape, all at first enclosed by 1 to 3 thin sheaths. Perianth-segmentsC, 

 free or united below, usually spreading. Stamens hypogynous or inserted 

 on the perianth, the filaments free or connate below. Ovary 3-ang-led, 

 3-celled; cells few-ovuled. Fruit a small loculicidal capsule. (Ancient 

 Latin name of the garlic.) 



Species about 250 in all parts of the North Temperate zone, a few 

 introduced and cultivated in the Philippines. 



Leaves cylindric, inflated...^ 1- ■^- <'^P°' 



Leaves flat 2. A. porrum 



