280 FLORA. 



4. HYMENOCALLIS Salisb. 



Mostly tall bulbous herbs with usually lanceolate or linear-oblong leaves, and 

 large white umbelled flowers on solid scapes, each flower subtended by 2 mem- 

 branous bracts. Perianth of 6 spreading or recurved narrow equal elongated lobes, 

 united below into a long cylindric tube. Stamens inserted in the top of the perianth- 

 tube, the lower parts of the long filaments connected by a membranous crown; anthers 

 linear, versatile. Ovary 3-celled; ovules only I or 2 in each cavity; style filiform, 

 long-exserted; stigma small, entire or nearly so. Capsule rather fleshy. Seeds 

 usually only I or 2, large, green, fleshy. [Greek, beautiful membrane, referring 

 to the crown.] About 30 species, all American. Besides the following, 10 others 

 occur in the Southern States. 



1. Hymenocallis occidentalis (Le Conte) Kunth. Hymenocallis. (I. F. f. 

 1064.) Bulb large. Leaves linear-oblong, narrowed at each end, fleshy, glaucous, 

 3-6 dm. long, I.5-5 cm - wide \ scape equalling or longer than the leaves ; bracts 

 linear-lanceolate ; umbel several-flowered ; perianth-tube 3-4 mm. in diameter, 

 7-13 cm. long, the linear lobes nearly as long; crown funnelform, narrowed below, 

 2.5-3 cm. long, its margins entire, erose or 2-toothed between the filaments ; free 

 part of the filaments about 2.5 cm. long, white ; anthers I mm. wide, yellow; style 

 extending for 5-8 cm. beyond the crown, green ; fruit 1.2-2 cm. in diameter. In 

 moist soil, Ga. to S. 111. and Mo. July-Sept. 



5. AGAVE L. 



Fleshy herbs, some tropical species very tall, with a short crown-like or erect 

 rootstock (caudex) and tall bracted scapes, the leaves large, thick, sometimes spiny- 

 toothed, basal, or clustered at the top of the caudex, and large bracted flowers in 

 terminal spikes or compound clusters. Perianth tubular or funnelform, withering- 

 persistent, of 6 equal or nearly equal lobes, united below into a tube. Stamens in- 

 serted on the perianth at the bases of the lobes, exserted. Ovary 3-celled ; style 

 slender, exserted, 3-lobed ; ovules numerous, in 2 rows in each cavity of the ovary. 

 Capsule 3-lobed, thick-walled, many-seeded. Seeds compressed, somewhat cuneate, 

 black. [Greek, signifying noble.] About 140 species, all American. Besides 

 the following, some 12 others occur in the southwestern States. 



1. Agave Virginica L. False Aloe. (I. F. f. 1065.) Glabrous through- 

 out ; rootstock a short crown. Scape 6-12 dm. tall, sometimes nearly 1.2 cm. in 

 diameter at the base, its bracts distant, long-acuminate ; leaves narrowly oblong, 

 1.5-6 dm. long, acuminate, their margins entire or denticulate ; spike 3-6 dm. 

 long, loose ; flowers greenish yellow, odorous, solitary in the axils of short bracts; 

 perianth slightly expanded above, 1.5-2.5 cm. long, the tube about twice as long 

 as the erect lobes ; capsule 1-1.6 cm. in diameter, abruptly contracted into a short 

 stalk. In dry soil, Md. to Ind., Mo., Fla. and Tex. Summer. 



6. HYPOXIS L. 



Low, mostly villous herbs, with a corm or short rootstock, grass-like leaves and 

 slender few-flowered scapes, the flowers rather small. Perianth 6-parted, its 

 segments equal or nearly so, separate to the summit of the ovary, withering- 

 persistent, the 3 outer ones greenish on the lower side in our species. Stamens in- 

 serted on the bases of the perianth-segments ; filaments short ; anthers erect, sagit- 

 tate or entire. Ovary 3-celled ; style short ; stigmas 3, erect ; ovules numerous, 

 in 2 rows in each cavity. Capsule thin-walled, not dehiscent by valves. Seeds 

 globular, black, laterally short-beaked by their stalks. [Greek, originally given 

 to some plant with sour leaves.] About 50 species, widely distributed. Besides 

 the following, two others occur in the southern States. 



I. Hypoxis hirsuta(L.)Coville. Stargrass. (I. F. f. 1066.) Corm 6-12 mm. 

 in diameter. Leaves basal, narrowly linear, 2-5 mm. wide, more or less villous, 

 mostly longer than the scapes ; scapes slender, erect, villous above, 5— 15 cm. high; 

 flowers 1 6, umbellate ; bracts subulate, shorter than the pedicels ; perianth- 

 segments narrowly oblong, spreading, mostly obtuse, bright yellow within, villous 

 without, 6 10 mm. Long.; stamens somewhat unequal; style 3 -angled, the stigmas 

 dscurrent on the angles ; capsule about 3 mm. in diameter. In dry soil, Me. and 

 Ont. to Assiniboia. Fla. ;uid Tex. May-Oct. 



