THE LILIALES OF IOWA. 
By T. J. Fitzpatrick. 
The order LILIALES consists of monocotyledonoiis plants, having for 
the most part regular and complete flowers, the perianth being well 
developed and made up of three or six parts. Ovary compound, superior 
or inferior. 
This order is represented in Iowa by eight families, twenty-three 
genera, and about fifty-two species. 
Ovary superior, very rarely inferior. 
1‘ei'iantli-segraeuts distinct, green or brow^n ; herbs with a grass-like aspect. 
Fam. 1. rl iinoiiccdc. 
rerianth-segnients distinct, or partly united, at least the inner petal-like. 
Fruit a capsule. 
Capsule usually septicidal ; plants rarely bulbous. Fam. 2. Melan- 
thaccac. 
(hipsule loculicidal ; plants mostly bulbous. Fam. 3. LiUaceae. 
Fruit a fleshy bei'ry. 
Erect kerbs ; tendrils none ; flowers perfect. Fam. 4. Gonvallar- 
iaccdc. 
A'ines, climbing by tendrils, or rarely erect ; flowers dioecious, in ax- 
illary umbels. Fam. 5. Hmilaccae. 
Ovary inferior, wholly or in part. 
Stamens 0 in our species. 
Erect perennial herbs ; flowers perfect. Fam. 0. AmaryllMaccae. 
Twining vines ; flowers dioecious. Fam. 7. DiGScoriaccac. 
Stamens 3, opposite the outer corolla-segments. Fam.. 8. Iridaccae. 
1. JUNCACEAE Vent. Tabl. 2: 150. 1799. 
Rusit Family. 
Annual or perennial grass-like herbs, commonly tufted and growing 
in moist places, with small regular 6-parted glumaceous flowers appear- 
ing singly or in clusters, spikes, or heads and disposed in panicles, 
corymbs or umbels. Stamens usually 3 or 6, anthers adnate, introrse, 
2-celled, dehiscing by a slit. Pistil superior, 1-celled or 3-celled, with 3 
to many ascending ovules; stigmas 3, filiform. Fruit a loculicidal cap- 
sule. Seeds 3 or many, small, cylindric or globose, with or without tail- 
like appendages. 
Leaf-sheaths open : capsule 1-celled or 3-celIed, many-seeded. 1. Juncus. 
Leaf-sheaths c-losed ; capsule 1-celled, fl-seeded. 2. Juncoidcs. 
1. JUNCUS L. Sp. PI. 325. 1753. 
Perennials, rarely annual, with scapcse or leaf-bearing stems, and' 
usually paniculate or corymbose flowers. Leaf-sheaths with free mar- 
gins, the leaf-blades terete, sword-shaped, channeled or grass-like. Seed 
frequently reticulated or ribbed. 
*TjOwest leaf of the inflorescence terete, scarcely channeled, erect, appearing 
as a continuation of the naked stem. 
Perianth-parts equaling or exceeding the capsule, all acute ; stamens 3 . 1 . 
J. effusus. 
Perianth-parts about as long as the capsule, acute ; stamens G. 2. /. bal- 
ticus. 
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