PLANT DESCRIPTION 249) 
all hold good in every case, for the supple-jack which 
+s a monocotyledon, has net veined leaves, while the 
dock and sorrel which are dicotyledons, have their 
parts in threes. . 
Among monocotyledons, only the grass and lily 
families are prescribed for study. It is generally easy 
to distinguish a grass, the only fear being that it may 
be confused with a sedge. By examining the culm 
or flowering stem, however, the student may make 
practically certain, for in a sedge, it is solid, while 
in a grass it is usually hollow. Among grasses, 
however, maize and a few others have solid culms. 
To distinguish the common types of monocotyle- 
donous flowers in which the parts are arranged in 
threes, the following key will be useful :— 
1. Liliaceee (Lily order) superior ovary. 
2. Iridacee (Iris order), inferior ovary, three 
stamens. 
3. Amaryllidaceze (daffodil order), inferior ovary, 
six stamens. 
LILIACE. 
The Hyacinth (Fig. 140) is a typical flower of this 
order, but, with very slight variation, the same 
description would fit the Christmas Lily, onion and 
other alliums, supplejack or cabbage tree. 
Habit—aA perennial herb with an underground 
bulb, narrow radical leaves, and a raceme of sweet- 
smelling blue flowers. 
Root.—Adventitious roots are given off from the 
lower surface of the bulb. 
Stem.—An underground tunicated bulb. 
Leaves.—Radical, simple, narrow, entire, green; 
form fleshy sheaths below ground, investing the stem. 
Inflorescence —Indefinite; raceme, with two blue 
bracts at base of each pedicel. 
