THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 
wood lilies, or trilliitms, were considered to be in good 
standing as members of the lily family. Now, alas, their 
birthright has been taken from them and they have been 
grouped with others of like character in a separate family. 
To this group the lily-of-the-\-alley gives a name, but the 
trilliums are easily the most regal members of it, and will 
continue to be lilies in form and lilies in name to the com- 
mon people in spite of the word of the lx)tanist. 
Like the members of the Lilium genus, the trilliums 
are well marked and easily identified. They are also widely 
distributed and far more numerous as to 'individuals than 
the lilies ever are. They come long before the true lilies 
do and have usually ceased blooming before their splendid 
cousins have become conspicuous. We have room here to 
mention the species of the Northeastern states only. The 
first to appear is the small white species {Trillium nivale), 
which inhabits the states north of the Ohio river. It often 
appears in March, and therefore is not to be confused with 
the great white trillium (T. grandiflonim). This is the 
largest and handsomest species of the genus, and as common 
as it is handsome. It is found in practically all the territory- 
east of the Mississippi River and also in Canada. The pure- 
white flowers usually turn to a clear pink with age. All 
the trilliums are occasionallv called wake-robins, but by 
common consent the title is allowed to Trillium erectum. 
How this species, which usually droops its blossoms toward 
or below the leaves, and practically never has them really 
erect, came to be named erectum is a botanical mystery not 
yet solved. It is an ill-scented blossom, though not with- 
out attractiveness, for the dull-red petals are of a color un- 
common in our flora. To see the great white trillium and 
this plant growing together in the Eastern states, no one 
would think of mistaking them, and yet, in the middle west 
the red fades out of the latter's petals and they too take on a 
