LiLiACE^. (lilt family.) 465 



longer than the linear-oblong anthers, which are attached by their back neai- the 

 tase. Styles 3, recurved-diverging, long and thread-form (stigraatic along the 

 upper side), deciduous. Berry spherical (dark purple), 3-celled, few-seeded. — 

 A perennial herb, with a simple slender stem (l°-3° high, clothed with floccu- 

 lent deciduous wool) rising from a horizontal and tuberous white rootstock 

 (which has the taste of the cucumber), bearing a whorl of 5-9 obovate-lanceo- 

 late and pointed sessile leaves near the middle, and another of 3 smaller ovate 

 ones at the top, subtending a sessile umbel of small recurved flowers, (Named 

 after the sorceress MedeOf from the imaginary notion that it possesses great me- 

 dicinal virtues.) 



I. M. Yirg'inica, L. (Gyromia, iVwi/.) — Rich damp woods. June. 



Order 126. ULIACE^- (Lily Family.) 



Herbs, with paraUel^ierved sessile or sheathing leaves^ regular perfect 6- 

 (rarely 4-) androus Jlowers with the petal-like consimUar Q-^merous perianth 

 free from the 2 - Z-celled ovary ^ introrse anthers attached by a point, and the 

 style single. — Stigmas 3, or combined into one. Fruit a S-valved loculi- 

 cidal pod, or a berry, many - few-seeded. Seeds anatropous or amphitro- 

 pous. Embryo slender or minute, in fleshy or hard albumen. 



Synopsis* 



Tribe I. ASPARAGE-ffi. Fruit a few-seeded berry, 2-3-celled. Albumen homy. 

 Not bulbous : rootstocks creeping or tuberous. Pedicels jointed under the flower. 

 * Stems branching, very leafy. Seeds amphitropous. 



1. ASPARAGUS. Perianth 6-parted. Leaves threa>d-like or brisfcle-form. Pedicels jointed. 



* * Stem simple, leafy. 



2. POLYGONATUM. Perianth tubular, 6-cleft : stamens above the middle Flowers axillary. 



5. SMILACINA. Perianth 4 - 6-parted, spreading, he stamens borne at the base. Flowers ia 



a raceme. 



* * * Scape naked. 



4. CONVALLAUIA. Perianth bell-shaped, 6-lobed. Flowers in a simple raceme. 



6. CLINTONIA. Perianth of 6 Separate sepals. Stamens hypogynous. Flowers in an umbel. 



Tribe II. ASPHODEI.E.ffi. Fruit a few -many-seeded pod, 3-celled. Seed-coat crus- 

 taceous, black; 



* Not bulbous, Perianth united in a tube below. 



6. HEMEROCALLIS. Perianth funnel-form. Stamens declined. Pod many-seeded. 



* * Bulbous : scape simple. Perianth 6-eepalled or 6-parted. 



7. ORNITHOGALUM. Flowers corymbed, never blue or reddish. Style B-sided. 



8. SCILLA. Flowers racemed, purple or blue. Style thread-like. 



9. ALLIUM. Flowers umbelled, from a spathe. Sepals l-nerved. 



Tribe III. TUIjIPACE.^. Fruit a many-seeded 3-celled pod. Seed-coat pale. Peri- 

 anth 6-Ieayed. 



* Bulbous herbs. Perianth deciduous. 



10. LILIUM. Stem leafy. Pod oblong. Seeds vertically much flattened 



11. EUYTHRONIUM. Scape naked, 1-flowered Pod obovate-triangular : seeds ovoid. 



• ♦ Not bulbous : stem (caudex) perennial. Perianth not deciduous. 



12. YUCCA Flowers in a term nal panicle. Leaves crowded,, rigid and persistent. 



