Smilacina. 



SMILACEjE. 



297 



Tribe II. CONVALLARIEjE. Endl. 



Styles united {except in Smilax, in which they are usually distinct nearly or quite to the 

 base). — Leaves nerved {except in Smilax). Flowers mostly axillary. 



CONSPECTUS OF THE GENERA. 



* Flowers perfect. 



3. Smilacina. Perianth deeply 4 - G-parted, spreading. Stamens inserted at the base of the segments. Stigmas 2 -3- 



Iobed. Ovary 2 - 3-celled, with 1-2 orthotropous ovules in each cell. — Flowers in a raceme. 



4. Polygonatum. Perianth tubular, the limb G-cleft, erect. Stamens perigynous. Ovary 3-celled, with 2 orthotropous 



horizontal ovules in each cell. — Flowers axillary. 



5. Clintonia. Perianth 6-leaved, campanulate or somewhat spreading. Stamens hypogynous. Stigma obtuse. Ovary 



2-celled, with 2 suspended anatropous ovules in each cell. — Flowers in a terminal umbel. 

 ** Flowers dicecious. 



6. Smilax. Perianth campanulate-spreading, deeply 6-parted. Stamens inserted at the base of the perianth-segments. 



Ovary 3-celled, with 1-2 orthotropous ovules in each cell : style very short or none : stigmas 3, recurved. Berry 

 mostly 3-celled, 1 - 3-seeded. 



3. SMILACINA. Desf. in ann. du mus. 9. p. 54; Endl. gen. 1183. SMILACINA. 



[A diminutive of Smilax; to which genus, however, this has but little resemblance.] 



Perianth 6- (or rarely 4-) parted ; the segments equal, spreading. Stamens equal in number 

 to the segments of the perianth, and inserted at their base : filaments subulate or some- 

 what dilated : anthers ovate ; the cells opening on the outer edge, or somewhat extrorse. 

 Ovary globose, 2 - 3-celled, with 2 orthotropous ovules which are inserted at the inner 

 angle of each cell : style thick, short : stigma obscurely 2 - 3-lobed. Berry globose, 

 pulpy, 1 - 3-seeded. Seed globose when single, hemispherical when there are two or 

 more, brownish, with a conspicuous hilum. Embryo small, at the extremity of dense fleshy 

 or almost horny albumen. — Perennial herbs, with a creeping (often thick and fleshy) 

 rhizoma, and flowers in a simple or compound terminal raceme. 



* Smilacina proper. Segments of the perianth and stamens 6. 



1. Smilacina stellata, Desf. Star-Jloiverecl Solomon 7 s-seal. 



Leaves 7-9, oval-lanceolate, acute, somewhat clasping ; raceme simple, few-flowered. 

 — Desf. I. c. p. 52 ; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 233 ; Red. Lil. 4. t. 185 ; Beck, hot. p. 358 ; Darlingt. 

 fl. Cest. p. 221 ; Hook. fl. Bor.-Am. 2. p. 176. Convallaria stellata, Linn. sp. I. p. 316; 

 Michx. fl. 1. p. 202 ; Bot. mag. t. 1043 ; Torr. fl. 1. p. 354; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 133. 



Rhizoma thick and fleshy. Stem 9-12 inches high, terete, smooth. Leaves usually 

 8 or 9, 3-5 inches long, ciliolate-scabrous on the margin, slightly pubescent on the nerves 

 underneath ; the upper surface smooth. Raceme 4 - 9-flowered : pedicels 3-8 lines long, 

 each with a minute ovate bract at the base. Flowers about one-third of an inch in diameter, 

 white : segments of the perianth oblong-lanceolate, obtuse, spreading. Stamens about half as 

 [Flora — Vol. 2.] 38 



