HELO'NIAS ASPHODELOI'DES. 
ASPHODEL-LIKE HELONIAS. 
Class. 
I1EXANDKIA. 
Natural Order. 
MELANTHACE*. 
Order. 
TRIGYNIA. 
Native of 
Height. 
Flowers in 
Duration, 
Introduced 
N. America 
18 inches. 
May & J one. 
Perennial. 
in 1765. 
No. 836. 
The Greek helos, a marsh, owns Helonias as 
its offspring-. 
This plant is an old inhabitant of our gardens, 
but there appears to be a variety of a somewhat 
different habit, which was raised by the Horticul- 
tural Society, from seeds sent home by Douglas, 
and which is figured in the Botanial Register, No. 
1613. Of this variety Dr. Lindley says, “The 
natives, inhabiting the highlands of the Rocky 
Mountains, where it is abundant, weave their 
water-tight baskets out of its tenacious leaves. 
Since the time of Pursh, the plant used for this 
purpose, and the common American kind, have 
been considered different; but we are unable to 
detect the slightest mark, by which they may be 
separated.” 
Both varieties of this plant are handsome, par- 
ticularly when left undisturbed till they become 
strong and vigorous, which they will do in three or 
four years, in a peat border, or in a mixture of peat, 
loam, and sand. It may be increased slowly by 
division of its roots ; or, when strong, the crown of 
the plant may be divided. 
Bot. Reg-. 1613. 
