LILIACE^E. 



847 



3. Angular Solomon-seal. Polygonatum officinale, All. 

 (Fig. 1018.) 



(Convallaria Polygonatum, Eng. Bot. t. 280.) 



Yery near the common S., but of 

 smaller stature, seldom exceeding a foot 

 in height ; the flowers rather larger and 

 especially thicker, solitary or two only 

 in each axil, and the filaments of the 

 stamens quite glabrous. 



With nearly the same geographical 

 range as the common S., but generally 

 in more open and rocky situations, and 

 more common in the limestone districts 

 of southern Europe. In Britain, more 

 scarce, but undoubtedly wild in several 

 localities in England and South Wales. 

 Fl, spring and early summer. 



Fig. 1018. 



III. CONVALLARIA. CONVALLAKIA. 



A single species, separated from Solomon-seal by the leafless flower- 

 stem bearing a terminal raceme, and by the short bell-shaped perianth, 

 with the stamens inserted near its base. 



1. Sweet Convallaria, Convallaria majalis, Linn. 

 (Fig. 1019.) 



(Eng.^Bot. t. 1035. Lily -of -the- Valley.) 



Hootstock creeping. Leaves radical, usually 2 together in a scaly 

 sheath ; their long footstalks enclosed one within the other so as to 

 appear like a stem ; the blade oblong, tapering at both ends, 4 to 6 

 inches long. Peduncle leafless, radical, shorter than the leaves. 

 Flowers drooping, bell-shaped, of a pure white, and very sweet-scented, 

 in a loose raceme. Berries globular, red. 



In woods, dispersed over Europe and Russian Asia, from the Me- 



