692 ObdER UO.— AMAKTLLIDACBuE. ' 



the outer often reflexed ; stamen petaloid, 2-lobed, the upper lobe bear- 

 ing the 1-celled (half) anther on its margin ; style petaloid^-fleshy, stigma 

 obtuse; capsule muricate, 3-oelled; seeds globular. — 21 Handsome, 

 evergreen herbs, with large lys. and showy panicles, or spikes. 



§ CORTTHIUM:" (Gr. {Kopv^) Kopydo^, with a helmet.) Tube 

 of the corolla prolonged above the ovary, with the outer segment spirally 

 attached, and reflexed, inner segment and the stamen dilated and coroni- 

 fotrm ; anther wholly ad.nate. 



1 C. fiaccida Boscoe. Glabrous ; Ivs. lanceolate, acuminate, tapering to a long, 

 sheathing base; fls. spieate, 2-bracted.; sep. erect, lance-linear; cor. tube more 

 than twice as long as the sepals; limb of the inner petals spreading, flaccid, wavy, 

 yellow, the outer lance-linear, reflexed ; stigma obliquely dilated above, termina- 

 ting the corolla tube. — A flne plant, around ponds, S. Car., 6a. and ila. Stem 

 3f high. Lvs. near 2f long (including the narrow base), 2 to 4' wide. Fls. about 

 4' long. Caps, oval, 12 to 16" long. — This plant, with its cogeners, might per- 

 haps constitute a new genus. 



§ CANNA proper. Corolla tube short or none, segments erect or 

 spreading above, the inner not coroniform ; anther free above. 



2 C. Indica Eosc. Glabrous ; Its. ovate, acuminate, abrupt at base j cor. tube 

 scarcely longer than the sepals ; segm. strap-shaped or spatulate, subequal, inner 

 erect. — Ofl^en cultivated. Lvs. large, smooth and glossy, the lamina more than 

 If long. Fls. near 2' long, red^and yellow, f W. Indies. 



Order CXL. AMARYLLIDACE^ Amartllids. 



Serbs perennial, chiefly bulbous, with linear leaves not scurfy nor woolly. Flow- 

 ers showy, mostly regular and on scapes, with an adherent, 6-parted perianth. Sta- 

 rmns 6, anthers introrse. Ovury 3-celled, with styles united into 1. Fruit a 3-eelled 

 capsule or berry. Seeds 1 to oo, with fleshy albumen. Figs. 315, 342, 395, 396. 



Genera 68, species 400, cliicfly tropicil plants, most abundant in Brazil .md S. Africa. Very 

 few aro found in our climate. 



Propertief, A few of the Amaryllids possess poisonous prppertics, which is very rare 

 among the Endogons. The Hottentots are said to poison their .arrows by dipping them in the 

 viscid Juice of the bulbs of IliEmanthus toxicarius. The bulbs of Narcissus poeticus, and of other 

 species, are emetic. The fermented juice of the Agave forms the intoxicating^a^ffwe of the Mex- 

 icans. Many are highly ornamental in cultivation. 



GENERA. 

 § Perianth bearing a crown on the summit of its tube. (•) 



• Crown a thin membrane connecting the stamens PAHCEATroir. 1 



• Crown a firm cup containing the stamens Nabcisscs. 2 



§ Perianth destitute of a crown. (*•) 



** Segments united into a tube above the ovary. Stamens perigynous. (a) 



a Flowers solitary, tube of tlie perianth straight, erect ZEPllTRANTmrs. 3 



a Flowers many, tube of the perianth straight Agavh. 4 



a Flowers many, tube of the perianth curved Poltastheb. 5 



** Segments distinct down to the ovary. Flowers nodding, (b) 



b Perianth irregular. Stamens declined and curved Sprekelia. 6 



b Perianth regular. — Sepals (all white) Uarget than petals Galaktiius. 7 



— Sepals (green-tipped) as largo as petals. Leucojuu. 8 



— Sepals and petals equal, yellow Hypoxis. 9 



1. PABCRA'TIUffl, L. (Gr. -rrdv, all, Kparyg, powerful; the name 

 was first applied to the medicinal squill.) Tube of the perianth pro- 

 duced above the ovary, long and slender, dilated in the throat, limb 

 regular, 6-parted; stamens 6, inserted on the throat, their bases con- 

 nected by an ample membrane forming a broad, funnel-shaped corona ; 

 anthers linear, versatile ; capsule 3-valved, oo-seeded. — Bulbs tunincated, 

 bearing long lvs. and a scape with a bracted umbel of showy fls. 



