348 LILT TAMIL T. 



its narrow linear leaves, and a scape (5' -7' high) bearing a dense raceme of 

 globular deep blue flowers which are barely ^' long, resembling minute grapes, 

 scentless. 



M. raoem6su.m, less common in gardens, is more slender, with flaccid 

 leaves and ovoid faintly scented flowers. 



M. mosehitum, is glaucous, and has larger and ovoid-oblong livid musky- 

 scented flowers, and linear-lanceolate shorter leaves. 



M. combsum, is larger, 9' high, with violet-colored oblong flowers, on 

 longer pedicels in a loose raceme, the uppermost in a tuft and abortive : the 

 monstrous variety most cultivated produces, later in the season, from the tufted 

 apex of the scape a large panicled mass of abortive, contorted, bright blue 

 branchlets, of a striking and handsome appearance. 



29. HYACINTHUS, HYACINTH. (Mythological name, the plant 

 dedicated to the favorite of Apollo. ) 



H. orientklis. Common H., of the Levant, with its raceme of blue flow- 

 ers, is the parent of the numberless cultivated varieties, of divers colors, single, 

 and double : fl. spring. 



30. AGAPANTHUS. (Of Greek words for amtaftfe^oiocr.) One species, 



A. umbell^tus. Cult, from Cape of Good Hope, a handsome house-plant, 

 turned out blooms in summer; leaves large, bright-green, l°-2°long; scape 

 1^° - 2° high, bearing an umbel of pretty large blue flowers. 



31. FUITKIA. (Named for one Funic, a German botanist.) Ornamental, 

 large-leaved, hardy plants, cult, from Japan and China : fl. summer. For- 

 merly united with the Day-Lily. 



F. subcord&ta. White Day-Lilt, is the species with long, white, and 

 tubular-funnel-form flowers. 



P. ovata, Blue D., the one with smaller, more nodding, blue or violet 

 flowers, abruptly expanded above the narrow tube. 



32. HEMEBOCAIiIiIS, Dat-Lilt. (Name, in Greek, means heauty- 

 of-a-day, the large flower ephemeral. ) Cult, from the Old World, especially 

 in country gardens ; the first species escaped into roadsides : fl. summer. 



H. ftilva, Common Dat-Lilt. A familiar, rather coarse and tall plant, 

 with broadish linear leaves and tawny orange flower, the inner divisions wavy 

 and obtuse. 



H. fl^va, Yellow D. Less coarse, with narrower leaves and light yellow 

 flowers, the inner divisions acute. 



33. TRITOMA. (Name in Greek means ikrice cut, supposed to allude to 

 the three sharp edges of the tapering apex of the leaves, viz. the two mtu-gins 

 and the keel.) Flowers unpleasantly-scented, showy, in autumn. 



T. TTv^ia, from Cape of Good Hope, planted out, is oraamental in autumn, 

 the scape rising from the thick clumps of long grassy leaves 3° or 4° high, the 

 cylindrical spike or raceme producing a long succession of flowers, which are 

 at first erect and coral-red, soon they hang over and change to orange and at 

 length to greenish yellow. Boots half hardy N. 



34. YUCCA, BEAR-GRASS, SPANISH-BAYONET. (American ab- 

 original name.) Wild in sandy soil S., extending into Mexico, &c. Cult 

 for ornament, but only the nearly stemless species is really hardy N. : fl. 

 summer, large, and whole plant of striking appearance. Under vaiious names 

 and varieties, the common ones mainly belong to the following : 



# Trunk short, covered with leaves, risinij only a foot or two above the ground : 

 flowering stalk scape-like: pod dry. 



Y. fllameutdsa, Common Bear-Geass, or Adam's Needle. From E. 

 Virginia S. : leaves lanceolate, l°-2° long, spreading, moderately rigid, tipped 

 with a weak prickly point, the smooth edges bearing thread-like filaments ; scape 

 3° - 6° high ; flowers white or pale cream-color, sometimes tinged purplish. 



