LILY FAMILY. Liliacex. 



The pendulous position of the flowers of this genus, is 

 in a great measure protective ; the wind and weather can 

 not injure or uselessly scatter the pollen. The flowers, 

 moreover, have short styles and long anthers, and are 

 unquestionably cross-fertilized by the larger bees ; the 

 bumblebees Bombus vagans, and Bombus pennsylvanicus 

 are common visitors, together with innumerable small 



Solomon's Seal The oblon g- vate h 'g nt g reen leaves 

 Polygonatum srn tb. or finely hairy and paler beneath, 

 biflorum arranged alternately either side of the 



Pale green slender, smooth stem ; the cylindrical and 

 April-June tassellike perfect flowers (each having six 

 stamens) depend in clusters of two, rarely three, below 

 them. An extremely pretty and graceful plant when 

 under cultivation. The fruit, at first a green berry with 

 a whitish bloom, at last becomes blue-black and resembles 

 a small Concord grape ; it imparts an additionally decora- 

 tive appearance to the plant. 1-3- feet high. Common 

 in thickets beside woodlands, and on hillsides. Me., 

 south, and west to E. Kan., Neb., and Tex. 



The plant is taller and smooth, without 

 Solomon's Seal tne fine nairiness - Leaves ovate, pointed, 

 Polygonatum and partly clasping the plant-stem, 3-8 

 giganteum inches long, and many-ribbed. Flowers 

 Pale Green m cuis ters of from two to eight. Stem 



stout and round. 2-8 feet high. Meadows 



May-early 



and river banks. Me., south to Va., and 

 west to the Rocky Mts. 



