28o TETAI^IDE^ 



flowers, in many places almost carpeting the woodlands with its 

 splendid yellow trumpet-shaped flowers. The smell, unfortimately, 

 is not pleasant, and the plant has poisonous properties. Woods 

 and orchards ; common. — Fl. March and April. Perennial. 



Several other species of Narcissus are occasionally found near 

 houses, but they are invariably the outcast of gardens. 



2. Gai.anthus (Snowdrop) 



I. G. nivalis (Snowdrop). — Too well known to need any descrip- 

 tion. The Snowdrop, G. plicatus, which was introduced from the 

 Crimea, differs mainly from the common species in having broader, 

 plaited leaves, and somewhat larger flowers. — Fl. January to 

 March. Perennial. 



3. Leucojum (Snowflake) 



I. L. cestivum (Summer Snowflake). — A doubtful native, found 

 occasionaUy in moist meadows in many parts of England. A 

 bulbous plant, about 2 feet high, with narrow, keeled haves, and 

 2-edged flower-stalks bearing an umbel of rather large white flowers, 

 the sepals and petals of which are tipped with green. It is a common 

 garden plant. — Fl. May. Perennial. 



Natural Order LXXXIII 



DIOSCOREACE^.— Yam Tribe 



Stamens and pistils on different plants (dicecious) ; perianth 

 6-cleft ; stamens 6, arising from the base of the perianth ; ovary 

 inferior, 3-celled ; style deeply 3-cleft ; fntit, a dry, flat capsule, 

 or (in Tamils, the only British species) a berry. Twining shrubs or 

 herbs, approaching in habit some of the T3icot3'ledonous Orders, 

 the leaves being decidedly stalked, and having netted veins ; the 

 flowers are small, with 1-3 bracts each, and grow in spikes. The 

 Order is a small one, and is, with the exception of Tamils (Black 

 Bryony), confined to tropical regions. Dioscorea, the plant from 

 which the Order takes its name, has large tuberous roots, which, 

 under the name of " Yams," forms as important an article of food 

 in tropical countries as the Potato in temperate climates. When 

 growing it requires a support, like the Hop. There are several 

 species, D. saliva and D. alata being natives of India. The Chinese 

 D. Batatas is largely growar in France and Alg^eria, and may be grown 

 in this country in the open, though it seldom is. 



I. Tamus (Black Bryony). — Characters described above. (Name, 

 the Latin name of the plant.) 



