MONOCOTYLEDONOUS OR ENDOGENOUS PLANTS. 557 



cidally 3-vulved at the apex ; seeds numerous, flat, hori- 

 zontal, smooth and black. — Plants, with thick palm-like 

 leafy stems (caudex), numerous rigid aud spine-pointed 

 leaves, and white showy -p'dmclQd floiuers. 



* stem short ; capsule dry, 3-valved. 



Y. FiLAMENTOSA, L. (Beai' Grass.) Stem short and 

 leafy; leaves rather rigid, spreading or recurved, varying 

 from linear to broad-lanceolate, green or glaucous, with 

 thread-like filaments on the margins; scape elongated, 

 branching and pubescent above; leaves of the perianth 

 ovate-lanceolate, white tinged with yellow or purple; ca})- 

 siile with 3 rounded angles, loculicidal at the apex, and at 

 length separating at the inflexed sutures into three 2-celled 

 carpels. (Y. puberula and Y. glaucescens, Haw.) Light 

 or sandy soil. June. Stem rarely more than a foot above 

 the ground; leaves l°-2° long; scape 4°-6° high. 



** stem tall ; capsule jnilpy, G-anyled, indehiscent. 



Y. ALOIFOLTA, L. Stem mostly branching, leafy above ; 

 leaves linear-lanceolate, very rigid, strongly spine-pointed, 

 very rough on the margins, the lower ones reflexed ; panicle 

 short, smooth, densely flowered, nearly sessile ; divisions 

 of the per ia?ith ovate-lanceolate, white tinged with purple. 

 (Y. Draconis, L. ; Y. serrulata. Haw.) Sands along the 

 coast. May and June. Stem 4°-8° high; leaves and 

 panicle 1°-1^° long. 



Y. LONGiroLiA, Buckley. Stem erect, 8-15 feet high ; 

 leaves smooth, ensiform-lanceolate, rigid, sharply acumi- 

 nate, crowded on the stem, lower ones reflexed often when 

 dead with their points in the ground ; panicles very large, 

 terminal ; /o?6'ers campanulate; .se^j^Zs ov?ite-acute ; hracts 

 ovate-lanceolate, acute; margin membranaceous; capsule 

 oblong, cylindrical, obtuse at summit and base. Leaves 

 2^3 feet long, with curved margins; /rz/i/ 4-5 inches 

 long. Western Texas. Flowers in March. Ornamental. 



