CONVALLARIACEAE 61 



1. O. umbellatum L. Stae-of-Bethlehem. 4'-12'' high : leaves 

 narrowly linear : flowers 5-8, corymbose on long pedicels.— Well escaped 

 from gardens in Independence. April-June. 



FAMILY 22. CONVALLARIACEAE Link. 

 'Herbs from rootstocks, never from bulbs or oorms. Fruit a fleshy 

 berry. Otherwise as in Liliaceae. 



Leaves scale-like. 1. Asparagus. 

 Leaves not scale-like. 

 Leaves not wborled. 



Flowers in a terminal raceme. 2. Vagnera. 



Flowers axillary. 3. Solomonia. 



Leaves three, whorled. 4. Trillium. 



1. ASPARAGUS L. 



Tall, much-branching herbs with filiform branches. Flowers small, 

 with 6-parted perianth, the stamens inserted on the base of its lobes. 

 Anthers ovate or oblong. Berry globose, 6seeded. 



1. A. officinalis L. Asparagus. 2°-8° high : flowers greenish, 

 axillary, drooping. — Occasionally escaped from gardens. June-August. 



2. VAGNERA Adans. False Solomon's Seal. 

 Whitish perianth segments six, distinct, the stamens inserted at their 

 base. Anthers ovate. Berry globular, 6-seeded. 



Flowers numerous. 1. V. racemosa. 



Flowers few. 2. V. siellata. 



1. V. racemosa (L.) Morong. l°-3'' high : leaves numerous, sessile, 

 oblong-lanceolate, over V wide : flowers numerous in a terminal racemose 

 panicle, 1" long, 2" broad: berries red, purple-spotted. — Infrequent in 

 moist woods throughout. May-June. 



2. V. stellata (L. ) Morong. 1° high, glabrous and glaucous: leaves 

 oblong-lanceolate, sessile-clasping, usually less than V wide : flowers few, 

 racemose : berries black. — Sandy woods in the Missouri bottoms near 

 Sibley ; also near Turner, Kansas. 



3. SOLOMONIA Heist. 



Tall herbs from thick, jointed and scarred rootstocks, bearing many 

 leaves. Flowers axillary, drooping on jointed pedicels. Perianth oblong- 

 cylindric, 6-lobed, the 6 stamens inserted on its tube and included. An- 

 thers sagittate. Berry globular, 6-18-seeded. 



1. S. commutata (K. & S. ) Britton. Solomon's Seal. 1°-8° 

 high : leaves lanceolate to ovate, smooch, somewhat clasping : peduncles 

 1-8-flowered : filaments smooth, adnate to middle of perianth tube. — 

 Rather common in rich woods throughout. June. 



