Liliacea—Ruscus. 531 
cladede with a smaller cladode overhanging them; and R. 
hypophgllum, also from the South of Europe, with the flowers 
beneath the cladodes. These three species are rare in gardens, 
and rather tender. 
30. ASPIDISTRA. 
Plants of fine foliage and insignificant flowers produced close 
to the ground, and reinarkable for the curious Mushroom-like 
stigma. Name from domibdiczoy, a little shield, in allusion to 
this character, which is common to a small tribe of this family. 
Natives of Japan and China. A. elatior variegata is a stemless 
handsome plant with large oblong leaves on long petioles, 
alternately striped green and white, reaching a height of two 
or three feet. <A. lurida and A. pinctata are closely allied 
species. 
Paris quadrifolia is a closely allied native plant with one 
whorl of oblong leaves and solitary terminal yellow and green 
flowers. 
31. TRILLIUM. 
A singular North American ‘genus remarkable for the ternary 
arrangement of the organs, all the species having the net-veined 
leaves in verticils of threes, the perianth in two distinct series, 
the outer sepaloid and persistent and the inner petaloid and 
fugacious, 3 or 6 stamens and 3 stigmas and a 3-celled fruit. 
This genus and its allies are referred by some writers to Smila- 
cine, whilst others regard them as a tribe of the Liliacew. 
The name is from the Latin ¢trilix, triple. Two or three 
tuberous-rooted species are in cultivation, but they are seldom 
seen. 
1. 7. grandiflorum.—A very beautiful plant about a foot 
high with ovate strongly-nerved leaves and solitary terminal 
pedunculate flowers. Outer segments of the perianth green, 
and the inner ones white. 
2. T. péndulum, syn. 7. eréctum. Birthroot.—This differs 
mainly from the last in the rounded base of the leaves, which 
are abruptly acute. The flowers are violet in the type, but 
there is a white-flowered variety. 
32. PHILESIA. 
A genus differing in its shrubby habit and some other 
particulars from all other plants of this family, and by some 
MM 2 
