614 liliacejE. 



either succulent or dry and capsular. Seeds numerous, packed one 

 above the other in 1 or 2 rows (fig. 860) ; embryo in the axis of 

 fleshy albumen (fig. 861). — Herbs, shrubs, or trees, with bulbs (figs. 

 224-226, p. 115), or tubers, or aborescent stems, or rhizomes (fig. 

 107, p. 47) ; leaves not articulated, usually narrow, with parallel 

 veins. They are found both in temperate and tropical climates. In 

 warm regions some of them are axborescent, as in the case of Dracae- 

 nas ; others are very succulent, as species of Aloe. The order has not 

 been sufficiently defined, and there are still many differences of opinion 

 as to its limits. Under it are included by some the following tribes : — 



1. Tulipese, Tulip trite : bulbous plants, segments of perianth scarcely adherent 



in a tube, testa pale and soft. 



2. HemerocaUidese, Day-lily tribe : bulbous plants, with a tubular perianth, testa 



pale and soft. 



3. Scillese or Alliefe, the SquiU and Onion tribe ; bulbous (figs. 224-226, p. 116), 



with the testa black and brittle. ■ 



4. Anthericeae or Asphodeles, Asphodel tribe : not bulbous, roots fascicled (fig. 



100, p. 41) or fibrous, leaves not coriaceous nor permanent. 



5. Convallarieffi, Lily of the VaUey tribe : stem developed as a rhizome or tuber 



(fig. 107, p. 47). 



6. Asparagese, Asparagus tribe : stem usually fully developed, arborescent, in 



some cases branched, leaves often coriaceous and permanent. 



7. Aloinese, Aloe tribe : stem usually developed, arborescent, leaves succulent. 



8. Aphyllanthese, Grass-tree tribe : having a rush-like habit and membranous im- 



bricated bracts. 



9. Conanthereae, Conanthera tribe : stemless herbs of Peru and Chili, with the 



perianth more or less adherent, ovary being partially inferior. 



10. Wachendorfiese, Wachendorfla tribe : ovary superior, flowers triaudrous, leaves 



somewhat equitant ; allied to Hasmodora. 



11. Briospermese, Eriospermum tribe: stemless plants of South Africa; seeds 



covered with long silky hairs. 



12. Aspidistreae, Aspidistra tribe : Japanese and Asiatic plants; stemless; leaves 



radical ; flowers in spikes, resembling Aracese. 



13. Ophiopogonese, Ophiopogon tribe : Indian and Japanese plants ; stemless 



tufted herbs, sheathing leaves, simple scapes, ovary sub-adherent. 



Lindley enumerates 155 genera, including 1250 species. Examples — 

 Tulipa, Lilium ; Hemerocallis, Phormium ; Scilla, Allium ; Antheri- 

 cum, Asphodelus ; Oonvallaria ; Asparagus, Drao^na ; Aloe ; Aphyl- 

 lanthes, Xanthorrhsea ; Conanthera ; Wachendorfla ; Eriospermum ; 

 Aspidistra ; Ophiopogon. 



Many of the plants of this order are showy garden flowers, such as 

 Tulips, Lilies, FritiUaries, Day-lilies (Remerocallis), Tuberoses {Polian- 

 thes tuberosa), and Dog-tooth-violets {Erphronium Bms-canis), etc. Some 

 of them are used medicinally as purgatives, stimulants, emetics, and 

 diaphoretics. Some yield valuable fibres, others supply resinous matter. 

 The bulb of Scilla oi Squilla [Urginea) maritima supplies the officinal 

 squill. The plant grows on the sandy coasts of the Mediterranean. 

 Its bulbs vary in weight from half-a-pound to four or five pounds. In 

 their fresh state they are very acrid. They contain a bitter crystalline 



