The White Prairie Lily. 141 



LEUCOCRINUM MONTANUM. 



The generic name of this dainty little plant means white lily; 

 translating the entire scientific name it might be called, White Lily 

 of the Mountains. It seems more appropriate, however, to name it 

 White Prairie Lily; for it is the most attractive of the spring flowers 

 of the eastern Colorado plains. 



In the vicinity of Denver the plants are quite common during 

 May, and in some localities can be seen for miles ; great clumps of 

 snowy flowers nestling in a bed of grass-like leaves. It is not un- 

 usual to find many plants in one cluster from which fifty blossoms 

 could be easily gathered. 



These six rayed starry lilies spring from ground the surface of 

 which is often as hard as a rock and unfold to the blue sky, breath- 

 ing forth their adoration in a delicate, exquisite perfume. 



They seem to be as hardy and brave as beautiful ; for a tempera- 

 ture away below zero does not freeze them, nor do the hot, dry days 

 of summer deprive them of life. 



It will be wondered, perhaps, how it is possible for this fragile 

 looking flower to live and bloom in such adverse surroundings. The 

 secret lies buried deep in the ground at its roots. During the spring 

 rains and snows, the warmth and moisture awaken this sleeper from 

 its ten months' repose and soon it shoots up, immediately beginning 

 to form roots for the next year. On one plant can be found three sets 

 of roots. The lowest are ghosts of roots that gave up their life to feed 

 the growth of the previous spring; next are numerous long fleshy 

 roots that are rapidly being exhausted; and uppermost the teuder 

 white roots are just beginning to collect the supply for the next 

 year. 



Most lilies store their nourishment in bulbs, but this indepen- 

 dent prairie flower, has instead a short erect root stock and many 

 long, fleshy roots. 



The tube of the perianth extends down among the leaves and 

 bracts for about two inches and its division's are nearly an inch long, 

 making the expanded flower about two inches in diameter. The 

 seed vessel is at the very bottom of the tube and underground. I 

 know of no other plant that naturally ripens its seeds underground, 

 and have been greatly puzzled to explain this peculiar habit, which 

 would seem to effectually check its distribution. 



The only reasonable hypothesis that has occurred to me is this: 

 the plant requires to be some depth below the surface so as to obtain 

 sufficient moisture ; it is found where the signs of gophers and prairie 

 dogs abound ; so, probably, the underground portions serve as food 

 for these little animals and the seeds are thus properly distributed. 



Alice Eastwood. 



