268 FLORA. 



equal or nearly so, separate, white, or sometimes green without, persistent. Stamens 

 hypogynous; filaments flattened, often broad; anthers versatile, introrse. Ovary 

 3 -celled, sessile; ovules several or numerous in each cavity; stigma capitate, 

 3-lobed or 3-ridged. Capsule subglobose, 3-sided or 3-lobed, loculicidal. Seeds 

 black. [Greek, signifying bird's milk, said to be in allusion to the egg-white color 

 of the flowers in some species.] About 75 species, natives of Europe, Asia and 

 Africa. 



Flowers corymbose, erect; pedicels long, slender. 1. O. umbellatum. 



Flowers racemose, drooping; pedicels very short, stout. 2. O. nutans. 



i. Ornithogalum umbellatum L. Star-of-Bethlehem. (I. F. f. 1019.) 



Tufted; bulbs ovoid. Scape slender, 1-3 dm. high; leaves 2-5 mm. wide, dark 

 green with a light midvein, blunt; flowers corymbose, opening in sunshine; bracts 

 linear-lanceolate, mostly shorter than the pedicels ; pedicels erect or ascending ; 

 perianth-segments oblong-lanceolate, acute, white above, green with white margins 

 beneath, 1-2 cm. long, about twice as long as the stamens ; filaments not toothed. 

 In fields and meadows, N. H. to Penn. and Va. Naturalized from Europe. May- 

 June. 



2. Ornithogalum nutans L. Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem. (I. F. f. 

 1020.) Bulb ovoid, 2-5 cm. long. Scape stout, 3-6 dm. high ; leaves blunt, 

 4-8 mm. wide; flowers racemose, nodding; raceme loose; pedicels stout, 4-12 mm. 

 long; bracts lanceolate, long-acuminate, much longer than the pedicels; perianth- 

 segments oblong-lanceolate, about 2.5 cm. long, nearly twice as long as the stamens; 

 filaments 2-toothed at the apex. Escaped from gardens, Penn. to D. C. Native of 

 Europe. April-May. 



la. MUSCARI Mill. 



Low bulbous scapose herbs, with basal linear fleshy leaves, and nodding bracted 

 racemose flowers, deep blue (rarely white) in the following species. Perianth glo- 

 bose, urn-shaped, or oblong, with 6 teeth or short lobes. Stamens 6, inserted on 

 the perianth-tube, included; anthers ovate, versatile, introrse. Ovary 3-celled, 

 sessile; ovules 2 in each cavity; style short; stigma 3-lobed. Capsule 3-sided or 

 3 -winged, loculicidal. Seeds black, angled. [From the musk-like odor of the 

 flowers of some species.] About 40 species, natives of Europe, Asia and Africa. 



Perianth globose, 2-3 mm. in diameter ; leaves erect. 1. M. botryoides. 



Perianth oblong, urn-shaped, 4-6 mm. long ; leaves recurved. 2. M. racemosum. 



i. Muscari botryoides (L.) Mill. Grape-Hyacinth. (I. F. f. 1021.) 

 Scape 1-2.5 dm. high; leaves about as long as the scape, 2-8 mm. wide, chan- 

 nelled; raceme oblong-cylindric, 2-3 cm. long, dense, or becoming longer and 

 looser in fruit; pedicels shorter than the faintly odorous flowers; valves of the cap- 

 sule obovate. In meadows and thickets and along roadsides, escaped from gar- 

 uens, N. H. to Ohio and Va. Naturalized or adventive from southern Europe. 

 Native also of Asia. April-June. 



2. Muscari racemosum (L.) Mill. Starch Grape-Hyacinth. (I. F. f. 

 1022.) Leaves 2-4 mm. wide, recurved or spreading, channelled above; raceme 

 oblong or ovoid, many-flowered, dense; pedicels shorter than the starchy-scented 

 flowers or sometimes equalling them, slender; perianth constricted at the throat, 

 with 6 deltoid recurved white teeth; capsule-valves suborbicular, retuse. Escaped 

 from gardens S. N. Y. to Penn. and Md. Native of southern Europe. April- 

 May. 



13. ALETRIS l. 



Scapose perennial bitter fibrous-rooted herbs, with basal lanceolate leaves, and 

 small, white or yellow, bracted perfect flowers in a terminal spike-like raceme. 

 Perianth oblong or campanulate, roughened without, 6-lobed. its lower part adnate 

 to the ovary. Stamens 6, inserted on the perianth at the bases of the lobes, in- 

 cluded ; anthers introrse. Ovary 3-celled ; ovules numerous, anatropous ; style 

 3-cleft above; Btigmas minutely 2-lobed. Capsule ovoid, enclosed by the persist- 

 ent perianth, 3-celled, many-seeded, loculicidal. Seeds oblong, ribbed. Embryo 

 Small. Endosperm fleshy. [Greek, signifying to grind corn, apparently in allu 





