LILY TRIBE 



285 



POT.YGONATUM MuLTIFLORUM 



{Solomon's Seal) 



4. POLYGONATUM [SolomOll S 



Seal) 



I. P. umltifloruni (Com- 

 mon Solomon's Seal). — A 

 singular plant, 1-2 feet high, 

 with roundish stems, which 

 are rather arching than erect, 

 and bearing numerous alter- 

 nate, elliptical leaves, all 

 turned one way, and opposite 

 them' are small clusters of 

 whitish drooping flowers. 



tipped with green, which are all turned the other way ; filaments 

 hairy. Woods in several parts of England and Scotland, but not 

 indigenous in the latter country, and not frequent. — Fl. June. 

 Perennial. 



2. P. officinale (Angular Solomon's Seal) differs from the last 

 species in having an angular stem of lower stature, mostly solitary 

 flowers, and smooth filaments. Rare. 



3. P. verticillatum (Whorled Solomon's Seal). — Grows about 

 2 feet high, and bears its leaves in whorls of 3-5, from the axils of 

 which hang several white, green-tipped fl.owers. Rare. 



5. Maianthemum (May Lily) 

 I. M. convallaria (May Lily). — A pretty plant with a creeping 

 root stock, and an erect stem 4-9 inches high. 

 Leaves 2, alternate, acute, heart-shaped, 

 stalked ; flowers small and white, in a 

 terminal raceme ; perianth 4-cleft. A very 

 rare plant, said to be truly wild not far 

 from Scarborough, and planted elsewhere.— 

 Fl. May, June. Perennial. 



6. SciLLA [Squill) 

 I. S. verna (Vernal Squill). — Flowers in 

 a corymb ; bracts narrow ; leaves lined, 

 appearing with the flowers. A lovely little 

 plant, 3-6 inches high, with corymbs, or 

 flat clusters of blue, star-like flowers. The 

 turfy slopes of the sea-coast of Cornwall are 

 in many places as thickly studded with 

 these pretty flowers as inland meadows are 

 with Daisies. In a few weeks after flower- 

 ing no part of the plant is visible but the 



SciLLA Verna 

 (Vernal Squill) 



