CONVALLARIA MAJALIS -THE LILY OE THE VALLEY. 
Class VI. HEXANDRIA.— Order I. MONOGYNIA. 
Natural Order, SMILACEJ5 — THE SMILAX TRIBE. 
Calyx none. Stalk naked, semi-cylindrical; cluster simple; flowers drooping, cup-shaped. — Leaves two, 
radical, elliptical, ribbed, stalked, pale green : flowers white, elegant, sweet-scented : berry scarlet. Peren- 
nial: flowers in May: grows in woods and on heaths. 
Of the Lily of the Valley, called also Lily Convally, and May Lily, and, in some country villages, 
Ladder to Heaven; — in French, le muguet; lis des vallees ; muguet de Mai: in the village dialect, gros 
mouguet: in Italian, il mughetto; giglio convallio [lily convally] ; giglio delle convalli — there are three 
species: the Sweet-scented, the Grass-leaved, and the Spiked. The first is a native of Britain and many 
other parts of Europe. It flowers in May: whence it has been named by some the May Lily. Gerarde 
calls it Convall Lily, and says that in some places it is called Liriconfancie. It is also called May-blossom. 
“The Lily of the Valley,” says Mr. Martyn, “claims our notice both as an ornamental and a medi- 
cinal plant. As an ornamental one, few are held in higher estimation: indeed, few flowers can boast such 
delicacy, with so much fragrance. When dried they have a narcotic scent, and, reduced to powder, excite 
sneezing. A beautiful and desirable green colour may be prepared from the leaves with lime.” The 
distilled water is used in perfumery. 
There are several varieties of this species: one with red flowers, one with double red, and one with 
double white blossoms. There is also a variety much larger than the common sort, and beautifully varie- 
gated with purple. It was brought from the Royal Garden at Paris, and flowered several years in the 
Chelsea Garden: but the roots do not increase so much as the other varieties. 
The Lily of the Valley requires a loose sandy soil and a shady situation. It is increased by parting 
the roots in autumn, which should be done about once in three years. They may be gently watered every 
evening in dry summer weather. When the roots of this plant are confined in a pot, it may also be in- 
creased by its red berry; but in the woods, where the roots are allowed to spread, it seldom produces the 
berry. The other species of the Lily of the Valley are natives of Japan. 
Thunberg mentions one called the Convallaria Japonica; of which, he says, the knobs at the root were 
preserved in sugar, and were highly commended by the Japanese and the Chinese as good in different 
disorders. 
“No flower amid the garden fairer grows 
Than the sweet lily of the lowly vale, 
The queen of flowers.” 
“ And valley-lilies whiter still 
Than Leda’s love.” 
Keats’s Endymion, p. 10. 
“The lily, silver mistress of the vale.” 
Churchill. 
Of the Solomon’s-seal — called in French le sceau de Salomon; le signet de Salomon; Vherbe de la 
rupture [rupture-wort] ; le genouillet: Italian, il ginocchietto ; sigillo di Salomone — there are seven species, 
and varieties of each: the Narrow-leaved, the Single-flowered, the Broad-leaved, the Many-flowered, the 
Cluster-flowered, the Star-flowered, and the Least Solomon’s-seal, or One-blade. 
“ The root of the Single-flowered species,” says Mr. Martyn, “ is twisted and full of knots. On a 
transverse section of it, characters appear that give it the resemblance of a seal: whence its name of 
Solomon’s-seal.” It is also called White-root. 
The roots of this and the Broad-leaved kind have, in times of scarcity, been made into bread; and the 
young shoots of the latter species are eaten by the Turks as we eat asparagus. All the species are elegant 
plants. They are hardy; and, in a light soil and a shady situation, increase very fast by the roots. The 
best time to transplant them, and to part the roots, is in autumn, soon after the stalks decay. They should 
not be removed oftener than every third year; but should have fresh earth, as deep as it can be changed 
without disturbing the roots, every spring. The earth should be kept moderately moist. 
Gerarde gives a curious account of the virtues of these plants; not, however, of so much importance to 
the female sex, in the present day, as it might have been in his time: “The roote of Solomon’ Seale stamped, 
while it is freshe and greene, and applied, taketh away in one night, or two at the most, any bruse, black or 
blew spots gotten by fals or women’s wilfulnesse, in stumbling upon their hasty husbands’ fists, or such like.” 
