12. JUNCEiE. 107. Abama. 
171 
PL end. ph. 
IV. 107. ABAMA. Adanson. Eastard-asphodeh 
Perigonium 6-sepaled ; stamens 6, opposite to the sepales; 
filaments woolly, persistent ; anthers linear ; ovary pyra- 
midical ; style short ; stigma capitate ; capsule 3- celled ; 
valves 3, bearing the dissepiments ; seeds numerous, ovate, 
oblong, carunculated, imbricated on the inner margin of 
the dissepiments.— Root fibrous, aggregate; rhizoma creep- 
ing, threadlike; radical leaves equitant, ensiform, ribbed, 
sheathing at bottom, edge membranaceous ; cidm ascend- 
ing, simple, slightly leafed ; stem-leaves 1 to 3 , alternate, 
short, submernbranaceous ; flowers spiked, persistent, pe- 
duncled, yellow ; hr acted lanceolate, 2 to each peduncle. 
Abama ossifragum. Bonebreaking bastard-asphodel. 
Leaves swordshape ; flower loosely spiked, nearly sessile. 
Phalangium Anglicum palustre iridis folio. Raii Syn , 375,1. 
Asphodelus Lancastriae verus, Ger. em. 97. 
Anthericum ossifragum, Lin. S. P. 440. 
Narrhecium ossifragum, Huds. FI. Angl. 145. 
‘ bama ossifragum, De Cand. FI. Fr. 1852. 
Lancashire bastard-asphodel. 
Turfy bogs; perennial; July, August. 
Culm 10 in. high, smooth; spike upright; peduncles al- 
ternate, sometimes two together, upright, angular ; br acted 
concave ; ovary oblong, awlshape at the tip ; capsule deep 
yellow, shining. 
Fam. VIII. 13. COLCHICACE^. De Candolle: Me- 
renderce , Mirbel : Melanthacece , R. Brown : 
Juncorum et liliorum genera qucedam , Jussieu. 
Flowers hermaphrodite ; perigonium petaloid, 6-sepaled ; 
sometimes tubular at bottom ; sepales before expanding 
involute ; stamens 6, adnate to the sepales ; anthers often 
inverted; ovary one 3-celled (or 3?), many-seeded; style 
3-cut or parted ; stigmata 3 ; capsule 3- partite, 3-valved ; 
edge of valves inflected and forming the dissepiments ; seeds 
many, affixed to the inner marginal suture ; spermodermis 
simple, membranaceous, neither black nor crustaceous ; 
corculum inclosed ; perisperm fleshy. 
Plants have a strong action on the human body, as 
emetics, purgatives, and caustics ; so as to require the utmost 
caution in using them as medicines. 
Perigonium 6-sepaled ; involucrum 3-leaved ; 
flower pedicelled Tofieldia. 108. 
Basepf the perigonium tubular, radical. Colchicum. 1 09. 
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