460 dioscoeeacejE. (yam family.) 



the spathe : otherwise much as in the last. — Gravelly shores of Lakes Huron 

 and Michigan. May. 



I. ptiMiLA, L., the Dwarf Ikis of the Old World, and I. sambucIna, L., 

 the common Flowek-de-Luce (i. e. Fleur-de-Lis), are familiar in gardens. 



2. SISYRINCHIUOT, L. Blue-eyed Geass. 



Perianth G-pai-ted; the divisions alike, spreading. Stamens monadelphous. 

 Stigmas involute-thread-like. Pod globular-3-angled. Seeds globular. — Low 

 slender perennials, with fibrous roots, grassy or lanceolate leaves, mostly branch- 

 ing 2-edged or winged stems, and fugacious umbelled-clustered small flowers 

 from a 2-leaved spathe. (Name composed of <rvs, u, hog, and pvyxps, snout, 

 from a fancy that the hogs are fond of rooting it up.) 



1. S. Bermndinna, L. Scape winged, naked, or 1 - 2-leaved ; leaves 

 narrow and grass-like ; divisions of the perianth obovate, more or less notched 

 at the end, and bristle-pointed from the notch. (Leaves of the spathe almost 

 equal, shorter than the flowers.) — Var. Anoeps (S. anceps, Cav.) has a 

 broadly winged scape, and the outer leaf of the very unequal spathe longer than 

 the flowers. — Var. MncnONA-TUM (S. mucronatum, Michx.) has a slender and 

 narrowly winged scape, very narrow leaves, those of the spathe sharp-pointed, 

 unequal, one of them usually longer than the flowers. But there are various 

 intermediate forms. — Moist meadows, &c., among grass ; common everywhere. 

 June -Aug. — Flowers small, delicate blue, changing to pm-plish, rarely whit- 

 ish, 4-6 opening in succession. 



The Crocus, the Corn-flag ( Gladiolus ), the Blackberry Lily (Par- 

 dAnthus Chinenbis), and the Tigeu-flower (Tigridia Pav6nia), are 

 common cultivated plants of the family. 



Order 124. DIOSCOREACEiE. (Yam Family.) 



Plants with tunning stems from large tuberous roots or knotted rootstochs, 

 and ribbed and netted-veined petioled leaves, small dioecious d-androus and 

 regular flowers, tvith the S-cleft calyx-like perianth adherent in the fertile 

 plant to the 3-celled ovary. Styles 3, distinct. — Ovules 1 or 2 in each cell, 

 anatropous. Fruit usually a membranaceous 3-angled or winged pod. 

 Seeds with a minute embryo in hard albumen. — Represented chiefly 

 by the genus 



1. DIOSCOREA, Plumier. Yam. 



Flowers very small, in axillary panicles or racemes. Stamens 6, at the base 

 of the divisions of the 6-parted perianth. Pod 3-celled, 3-winged, loculicidally 

 3-valved by splitting through the winged angles. Seeds 1 or 2 in each cell, flat, 

 with a membranaceous wing. (Dedicated to the Greek naturalist Dioscorides.) 



1. D. villosa, L. (Wild Yam-koot.) Herbaceous ; leaves mostly 

 alternate, sometimes nearly opposite or in fours, more or less downy under- 



