NAT. ORDER. 
Liliacece. 
ERYTHRONIUM AMERICANUM. DOG'S TOOTH VIOLET 
Class VI. Hexandria. Order I. Monogynia. 
Gen. Char. Calyx, none. Corolla, inferior, six-petalled ; the three 
inner petals with a callous prominence on each edge, near 
the base. 
Spe. Char. Leaves, lanceolate, punctate. Petals, oblong-lanceo- 
late, obtuse at the point ; interior ones bidentate near the 
base. Style, clavate. Stigma, entire. 
This is an indigenous, perennial, bulbous plant, sometimes 
called after the European species. Dog's Tooth Violet. The hulh, 
or cormus, which is brown externally, white and solid within, sends 
up a single naked flower-stem, and two smooth, lanceolate, nearly 
equal leaves, sheathing at their base, with an obtuse, callous point, 
and of a brownish green color, diversified by numerous irregular 
spots ; the Jlower is solitary, nodding, yellow, with oblong-lanceo- 
late petals, obtuse at the point, a club-shaped, undivided style, 
and a three-lobed stigma. The Erythroniwn grows in woods and 
other shady places, throughout the Northern and. Middle States. 
It flowers in the latter part of April, or early in May. All parts 
of it are active. 
Of this genus Mr. Miller makes two species ; but Linnaeus, 
perhaps with more propriety, only one ; for breadth of leaves, or 
color of flowers, can hardly be considered as sufficient to consti- 
tute a specific difference. It is found in some parts of Europe, 
cultivated in gardens, where it produces a variety of colors : — 
Vol. ii.— 108 
