Erythroniam Jlmericanum. 117 



Root pyriform-bulbous, invested with loose, brownish tunics, 

 shrivelled longitudinally, sheathing a bifoliate stem, and buried from 

 six to nine inches beneath the surface of the ground ; subterrane- 

 ous portion of the stem white, shining, cylindrical and delicate, some- 

 times slightly angular. Stem above ground, sheathing petioles, 

 and a portion of the base of each leaf, dull-purplish. Leaves desti- 

 tute of veins, unequal, one always narrower than the other, lanceo- 

 late, and oval-lanceolate, channelled, slightly undulate, and terminat- 

 ing in a thick acumination, made by a sudden converging of the 

 margins. Young plants of the first year have but one leaf, which is 

 often quite elliptical, (as fig. 3.) next year the plant sends up two 

 leaves and a flower. Leaves always shining and glabrous, and 

 maculated by large, irregular spots of reddish-brown or umber- 

 brown, which give them the appearance of a dingy green. Under 

 side of the leaves paler and without spots. Peduncle radical, one- 

 flowered, proceeding from the point of meeting of the two leaves, 

 about five or six inches long, cylindrical, glabrous and shining 

 greenish below, and yellowish towards the summit. Flower con- 

 sists of six lanceolate, reflected petals; the three outside yel- 

 low, acuminated, striped and veined with dull brownish red ; the 

 three inner yellow, without stripes, having a cartilaginous notch on 

 each side near the base, and a longitudinal furrow running into the 

 small nectariferous pouch at base. The inner side of all the petals 

 spotted with long dots of reddish purple, and each has a stamen 

 better than half its length attached to its base. Filaments broad, 



VOL.1. 31 



