XXXIV. LILIACEiE. 



845 



Herbaceous " perennials, very 

 rarely annuals, sometimes frutes- 

 cent or arborescent ; root bulbous, 

 tuberous, fibrous-fascicled, or witb 

 a creeping rbizome. Stem simple, 

 or branching above, straight or 

 flexuous ; or scape aphyllous, erect, 

 very rarely twining {StreptoUrion) 

 [Bowiesa] . Leaves simple, entire, 

 sheathing or amplexicaul, the radi- 

 cal fascicled, the cauline usually 



: sessile, generally linear, flat or 

 channelled, sometimes cylindric, 

 rarely terminated by a tendril 

 (Meihonica). Flowees ? , mostly 

 terminal, solitary, racemose, spik- 

 ed, umbellate or capitate, rarely 

 panicled (Tucca), furnished with 

 scarious or spathaceous bracts, 

 regular or very rarely 2 -labiate 

 {Daubenya). Pekianth inferior, 



. petaloid, of 6 2-seriate divisions, 

 distinct, or forming a tube 6-fid at 

 the top, sometimes nectariferous at 

 the base {Fritillaria) ; aestivation 

 imbricate. Stamens 6, inserted 

 on the receptacle or at the base 

 of the perianth ; filaments distinct, 

 filiform or flat, sometimes appen- 

 diculate or 3-toothed, the intermediate tooth antheriferous ; anthers introrse, 2- 

 celled, basi- or dorsi-fixed, or versatile, dehiscence longitudinal. Ovaet free, with 3 

 several-many-ovuled cells ; style simple, terminal, or rarely gynobasic {Allium vine- 

 ale, &c.) ; stigmas 3, more or less distinct ; ovules inserted at the central angle of the 

 cells, anatropous or semi-anatropous, Fruit dry, very rarely a berry {Sanseviera, 

 Lomatophy Hum), ox auh-herried (Tucca, sp. Asphodelus). Capsule 3-celled, loculi- 

 cidall}' 3-valved, rarely septicidal [Calochortus, Agapanthus, Kniphofia, &c.). SeSids 

 usually numerous ; testa various, sometimes membranous or suberose, pale, sometimes 

 margined ; sometimes crustaceous, fragile, black ; albumen fleshy. Embryo asTile or 

 excentric, variable in lengthy straight, or variously bent; radicle near the hilum. 



Aloe vulgaris. 



Tribe I. TULIPAGB^. 



Perianth-leaflets distinct and coherent at the base, sometimes nectariferous. 

 Stamens hypogynous or obscurely perigy nous. Ovules anatropous. Fruit a capsule, 



