CHAPTER II 



CHARACTERISTICS OP SOME OF THE MORE IMPORTANT 

 BOTANICAL FAMILIES 



In classifying flowers, species which resemble one another 

 are grouped into genera ; genera having points of resemblance 

 are grouped into families; these into orders, sub-classes, 

 classes, etc. Many of the great families have characteristics 

 so marked that we can at once relegate a flower to its family, 

 thus taking a long step toward its identification. In the 

 order of their rank, the principal marks of several important 

 families are given here. 



The Lily Family. — Although humble in rank, this Family 

 enrolls many beautiful flowers. If the leaves are long and 

 narrow, with the veins running their entire length, from 

 base to apex (parallel-veined) ; if they are found mostly at 

 the base of the flower stalk, only a few whorled or scattered 

 along the stalk, the plant is probably a member of the 

 Lily Family. (There are exceptions as in the wild smilax, 

 which is net-veined.) They spring from corms, bulbs, or 

 from an underground stem, rootstock. The parts of the 

 flower are in threes or sixes (called 6-androus). The calyx 

 is not distinguishable from the corolla in size and color. 

 We speak of such a floral envelope as the perianth. The six 

 divisions of the perianth may be entirely separate and 

 spreading, or they may assume a funnel shape below. 

 There are six stamens, one standing opposite each of the 

 perianth divisions. Ovaries are 3 -celled, surmounted by a 

 long style and club-shaped stigma. 



Besides the bright-hued and conspicuous wild lilies proper, 

 here belong many of the spring's early and delicate flowers, as 

 the dog's-tooth violet, star of Bethlehem, trillium,and bellwort. 



Orchis Family. — The orchids which are seen in such 

 variety of form and color in our greenhouses are mostly im- 



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