466 THE LILY FAMILY. — [Simethis. 
and grass-like, Stem leafless, usually under a foot high, branching in the 
upper part, with a bract under each branch, the lowest bracts often linear 
and leaf-like. Flowers erect, in a loose terminal panicle. Perianth spread- 
ing, of 6 oblong segments, about 4 lines long, white inside, purplish outside, 
especially near the tip. Stamens shorter than the perianth-segments, 
inserted near their base, the filaments very woolly. Style entire. Capsule 
3-valved, with two shining black seeds in each cell. 
On heaths and open wastes, in the extreme west of Europe, from north- 
western Africa and Italy to Kerry, in Ireland, and formerly found in fir 
plantations near Bourne, in Dorsetshire, possibly introduced with the seeds 
of the Pinaster. Fl. early summer. 
XVI. NARTHECIUM. NARTHECIUM. 
A single species, with the grass-like vertical leaves, simple racemes, and 
persistent yellow perianth of Tofieldia, but with the bearded filaments and 
simple style of Simethis, differing from both in its minute seeds, with a 
thread-like point at each end. The consistence of the perianth, firmer than 
in the generality of Liliace@, shows an approach to Juncacee, with which 
many botanists associate it. 
1. N. ossifragum, Huds. (fig. 1055). Bog Narthecium, Bog or Lan- 
cashire Asphodel.—Rootstock shortly creeping. Stem stiff and erect, 
6 inches to a foot high or.rarely more. Leaves shorter than the stem and 
near its base, linear, vertically flattened and sheathing at their base in two 
opposite ranks as in Jridee; the upper ones reduced to short scales. 
Flowers in a stiff terminal raceme, of a bright’ yellow. Perianth-segments 
spreading, lanceolate and pointed, 3 or 4 lines long, green on the back 
and persistent as in Ornithogalum. Stamens rather shorter, their fila- 
ments covered with a white wool. Capsule very pointed, longer than the 
perianth. 
In bogs, in western and central Europe, North Asia aud North America, 
but not an Arctic plant; a rare instance of a species common to Kurope and 
North America without ‘extending over Asia. In Britain, abundant wher e- 
ever there are bogs and wet moors. FU. summer. 
XVII. TOFIELDIA. TOFIELDIA. 
Herbs, with creeping rootstocks, grass-like, chiefly radical leaves, verti- 
cally flattened and sheathing on opposite sides as in Iride@, and small — 
yellowish green flowers in terminalspikes. Perianth of 6 distinct segments 
persistent round the capsule. Stamens inserted at their base. Ovary 
3-lobed, with 3 distinct styles. Capsules small, 3-lobed, with several small 
oblong, brown seeds, 
A small genus, chiefly North American, extending along the Andes to 
tropical America, and westward across northern Asia to Europe. In its 
free styles it shows some approach to Triglochin in Alismacee. 
1, T. palustris, Huds, (fig. 1056). Marsh Tofieldia, Scottish As- 
phodel.—Radical leaves an inch or rarely 1} inches long. Flower-stem 
about 6 inches high, with one or two short leaves at its base, and termi- 
nated by a little globular or ovoid spike or head ; the perianth not quite a 
line long. The very short pedicels are each in the axilof a minute bract, 
