LILIACE^. 



849 



In woods and occasionally in pastures, 

 dispersed over Europe, Russian Asia, 

 and North America, and often very com- 

 mon. Hare in Britain, and omitted in 

 the first edition of this Handbook, in the 

 belief that the few localities assigned to 

 it were only where it had been planted. 

 It is however stated to be undoubtedly 

 indigenous and abundant near Hackness, 

 sis miles from Scarborough. Fl. early 

 summer. 



Fig. 1020. 



V. ASPARAGUS. ASPARAGUS. 



Herbs, with a creeping, matted roots tock, and annual branching 

 stems, with clusters of fine, short, subulate leaves (theoretically de- 

 scribed as abortive pedicels), surrounded by short scarious scales 

 (theoretically considered to be leaves or bracts). Flowers small, axil- 

 lary. Perianth of 6 distinct segments. Stamens 6. Ovary 3-celled, 

 with 2 ovules in each cell. Style single, with a 3-lobed stigma. Fruit 

 a berry. 



A considerable genus, chiefly African, with a few south European 

 or Asiatic species, all readily known by the foliage. 



1. Common Asparagus. Asparagus officinalis, Linn. 

 (Fig. 1021.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 339.) 



Stems erect and much branched, usually 1 to 2 feet high in the 

 wild state, attaining 4 or 5 feet when cultivated, and elegantly feathered 

 by the numerous clusters of fine subulate leaves, about half an inch 

 long. Flowers small, of a greenish-white, hanging on slender pedicels, 



