LILIACBAE (LILY i^AMILY) 293 



29. CONVALLARIA L. Lily of the Vallet 



Perianth bell-shaped, white, witli 6 short recurved lobes. Stamens 6, in- 

 cluded, inserted on the base of the perianth ; anthers introrse. Ovary 3-celled, 

 tapering into a stout style ; stigma triangular. Ovules 4-6 in each cell. Berry 

 few-seeded, red. — Perennial herb, glabrous, stemless, with slender running root- 

 stocks, 2 or .3 oblong leaves, and an angled scape bearing a one-sided raceme of 

 sweet-scented nodding flowers. (From Lilium convallium, the popular name.) 



1. C. majalis L. — High mountains, Va. to S. C. — Apparently identical 

 with the European Lilt op the Valley of the gardens which occurs as an occa- 

 sional escape from cultivation elsewhere within our limits. 



30. MEDEOLA [Gronov.] L. Indian Cucumber-eoot 



Perianth recurved ; the 3 sepals and 3 petals oblong and alike, pale greenish- 

 ' yellow, deciduous. Stamens 6 ; anthers shorter than the slender filaments, 

 oblong. Styles stigmatic down the upper side, recurved-diverging from the 

 globose ovary, long and thread-form, deciduous. Berry globose, dark purple, 

 3-oelled, few-seeded. — A perennial herb, with a simple slender stem (3-9 dm. 

 high, clothed with flooculent and deciduous wool), rising from a horizontal 

 wliite tuber (with taste of cucumber), bearing near the middle a whorl of 5-9 

 obovate-lanceolate leaves ; also another of 3 (rarely 4 or 5) much smaller ovate 

 ones at the top, subtending a sessile umbel of small recurved flowers. (Named 

 after the sorceress Medea, for its supposed great medicinal virtues.) 

 [^ 1. M. virginiana L. — Rich damp woods, N. B. to Ont., Minn., and Pla. 

 June. 



31. TRfLLIUM L. Wake Eoein. Birthroot 



Sepals 3, lanceolate, spreading, herbaceous, persistent. Petals 3, larger, 

 withering in age. Stamens 6 ; anthers linear, on short filaments, adnate. 

 Styles awl-shaped or slender, spreading or recurved above, persistent, stig- 

 matic down the inner side. Seeds ovate, horizontal, several in each cell. — 

 Low perennial herbs, with a stout and simple stem rising from a short and prae- 

 morse tuber-like rootstook, bearing at the summit a whorl of 3 ample, com- 

 monly broadly ovate, more or less ribbed but netted-veined leaves, and a 

 terminal large flower ; in spring. (Name from tres, three ; all the parts being 

 in threes.) — Monstrosities are not rare with the calyx and sometimes petals 

 changed to leaves, or the parts of the flower increased in number. 



* Ovary and fruit Q-angled and more or less winged. 



H- Flower sessile; leaves usually mottled. 



1. T. sessile L. Leaves sessile ; sepals spreading ; sessile petals erect-spread- 

 ing, narrowly lanceolate or oblanceolate, dark and dull purple, varying to 

 greenish ; fruit globose, 1.2 cm. long. — Moist woods, Pa. to Minn, and southw. 



2. T. viride Beck. Larger (3^ dm. high) ; leaves sessile, ovate, acuminate ; 

 sepals spreading ; petals linear, 3-5 cm. long, greenish. — Rich woods and open 

 hillsides, Kan., Mo., and southeastw. 



3. T. recurvHtum Beck. Leaves contracted at the base into a petiole, ovate, 

 oblong, or ohovate ; sepals reflexed ; petals pointed, the base narrowed into a 

 claw, oblong-lanceolate to -ovate, dark purple ; fruit ovoid, strongly winged 

 above, 1.8 cm. long. — Rich woods, 0. to Minn., Ark., "Miss.," and Tenn. 



-I- -1- Flower pediceled ; connective narrow, not produced ; leaves subsessile. 

 ++ Anthers at anthesis exceeding the stigmas. 



4. T. erfictum L. Leaves very broadly rhombic, shortly acuminate ; peduncle 

 (2-8 cm. long) usually more or less inclined or declinate ; petals ovate to lanceo- 

 late (18-36 mm. long), brown-purple or often white or greenish or pinkish ; 

 stamens exceeding the stout distinct spreading or recurved stigmas; ovary 

 purple; fruit ovoid, 2.5 cm. long, reddish. — Rich woods, e. Que. to Ont., 

 southw. to Pa i.nd in the mts. to N. C. — Flowers ill-scented. 



