Part 49

Order 5. =Eriocaulaceæ.= The “Compositæ among Monocotyledons,” a tropical order. The flowers are borne in a capitulum surrounded by an involucre, very similar to that of the Compositæ. The flowers are very small, unisexual, ♂ and ♀ often mixed indiscriminately in the same capitulum; they have the usual pentacyclic structure; the leaves of the inner perianth are often connate and more membranous than the outer; in some the outer series of stamens are suppressed; in each of the 3 loculi is one pendulous ovule. Capsule. The leaves are generally radical and grass-like.--335 species; Eriocaulon, Paepalanthus, etc., E. septangulare on the west coast of Scotland, and Ireland, and in North America.

Order 6. =Restiaceæ.= A small, especially S. African and S. Australian, xerophilous order (about 235 species), which is quite similar in habit to the Juncaceæ and Cyperaceæ. The leaves are often reduced to sheaths. The flowers are diœcious, the perianth as in Juncus, but the outer series of stamens suppressed. The ovary and fruit as in Eriocaulaceæ; the ovary, however, may be unilocular, and the fruit a nut. Restio, etc.

Order 7. =Centrolepidaceæ.= These are the most reduced plants in the family; small grass- or rush-like herbs. The flowers are very small, naked. Stamens 1–2, carpels 1–∞. 32 species. Australia.--Centrolepis (flowers generally ☿ with 1 stamen and 2–∞ carpels).

Family 5. =Liliifloræ.=

The flower is constructed on the general monocotyledonous type, with 5 alternating, 3-merous whorls (Fig. 278), but exceptions are found as in the Iridaceæ (Fig. 279) by the suppression of the inner whorl of stamens; in a few the position in relation to the bract differs from that represented in Fig. 278, and in some instead of the trimerous, di- or tetramerous flowers are found (e.g. Majanthemum, Paris). Flowers generally regular, hermaphrodite, with simple, petaloid, coloured perianth (except, for example, Bromeliaceæ); ovary trilocular, generally with 2 ovules or 2 rows of ovules in the inner angle of each loculus (Fig. 304 C, D). Endosperm always present.--A very natural family, of which some divisions in part overlap each other. The habit varies; the leaves are however long, entire, with parallel venation, except in Dioscoreaceæ (Fig. 313).

In the first orders of this family the flowers are hypogynous, and in the first of all the styles are free, and the capsule dehisces septicidally; in the following the flowers are epigynous and in some reduced in number or unisexual; capsule with loculicidal dehiscence, or a berry.

HYPOGYNOUS flowers: Colchicaceæ, Liliaceæ, Convallariaceæ, Bromeliaceæ (in part).

EPIGYNOUS flowers: Amaryllidaceæ, Iridaceæ, Bromeliaceæ (in part), Dioscoreaceæ.

Order 1. =Colchicaceæ.= The flower (Fig. 304 A) is ☿, regular, hypogynous, trimerous in all five whorls (6 stamens); anthers usually extrorse. Gynœceum with 3 free styles (A, D); fruit a capsule with septicidal dehiscence (E); embryo very small (F). The underground stem is generally a corm or rhizome, seldom a bulb.

=A.= VERATREÆ.--Veratrum; perennial herbs, stem tall with long internodes and broad, folded leaves; the flowers andromonœcious, with free, widely opening perianth-leaves (Fig. 304 A), and globular anthers; inflorescence a panicle.--Zygadenus, Melanthium, Schœnocaulon, Uvularia, Tricyrtis.

=B.= TOFIELDIEÆ.--Narthecium and Tofieldia have leaves alternate (arranged in two rows), sword-like and borne in rosettes; racemes or spikes. Narthecium forms an exception to the order by having a simple style and fruit with loculicidal dehiscence; Tofieldia by the introrse anthers. In this they are related to the Liliaceæ. Narthecium has poisonous properties, like many other Colchicaceæ.

=C.= COLCHICEÆ.--Colchicum (Autumn Crocus); perennial herbs, with a long, funnel-shaped, gamophyllous perianth, and introrse anthers. The flowers of C. autumnale spring up immediately from the underground stem, which is in reality a corm formed of one internode. ~Colchicum autumnale flowers in autumn without leaves; in spring the radical foliage-leaves appear simultaneously with the fruit. The flower is protogynous, and is pollinated by insects (humble-bees, etc.) which seek the honey secreted by the free part of the stamen a little way down the tube. The length of the tube protects the fruit, and not, as in other cases, the nectary.--Bulbocodium and Merendera have unguiculate perianth-leaves, free, but closing together like a tube.~

175 species; chiefly in North America and South Africa. Tofieldia is an Arctic plant. The order is rich in pungent, poisonous alkaloids (veratrin, colchicin, etc.). OFFICINAL; the seeds of Colchicum autumnale (Europe) and Schœnocaulon officinale (Mexico), and the rhizome of Veratrum album (mountains of Central Europe).

Order 2. =Liliaceæ (Lilies).= Flowers as in the Colchicaceæ but with introrse anthers; ovary free, 3-locular, with single style; capsule 3-locular with loculicidal dehiscence.--The majority are herbs with bulbs; the inflorescence is terminal. In many species reproduction takes place by means of bulbils (small bulbs) formed in the axils of the foliage-leaves (e.g. Lilium bulbiferum, lancifolium, etc., Gagea lancifolia, etc.), or in the bracts of the inflorescence (many species of Allium); in many species several buds are developed as bulbs in the axils of the bulb-scales themselves (accessory buds arising close together), and in some the formation of buds is common on the leaves.

=A.= TULIPEÆ, TULIP GROUP. Bulbs. The aerial, elongated stem bears the foliage-leaves. Flowers few but generally large, with free perianth-leaves. Tulipa; style absent, no honey; flowers generally solitary, erect.--Fritillaria perianth campanulate with a round or oblong nectary at the base of each perianth-leaf.--Lilium; perianth widely open, generally turned back with a covered nectary-groove in the centre of each segment. Anthers versatile.--Lloydia; Erythronium.

=B.= HYACINTHEÆ, HYACINTH GROUP. Bulbs. Leaves radical; aerial stem leafless with raceme or spike. In some the perianth-segments are free, in others united. Honey is produced often in glands or in the septa of the ovary (septal glands).--Ornithogalum has a leafy stem; Scilla; Eucomis has a tuft of floral-leaves above the raceme; Agraphis; Hyacinthus; Puschkinia; Chionodoxa; Muscari; Veltheimia; Urginea.

=C.= ALLIEÆ, ONION GROUP. Generally bulbs. Leaves radical. Stem leafless with a compound umbellate or capitate inflorescence of unipared helicoid cymes, which before flowering are surrounded by two broad involucral leaves.--~Allium. Filaments often petaloid and bidentate; in many species bulbils are found in the inflorescence.--Some species have flat leaves: A. sativum, Garlic; A. porrum, Leek; A. ursinum; others have round, hollow leaves: A. cepa, Onion; A. fistulosum, Winter Onion; A. ascalonicum, Eschalot; A. schænoprasum, Chive.~--Gagea; honey is secreted at the base of the perianth, no special nectary; inflorescence few-flowered.--Agapanthus; Triteleia.

=D.= ANTHERICEÆ. Rhizome; raceme; the leaves not fleshy and thick.--Anthericum; Asphodelus; Bulbine; Chlorophytum; Bowiea has an almost leafless stem with curved, climbing branches.

=E.= ALOINEÆ, ALOES. Stem generally aerial and tree-like, bearing on its summit thick, fleshy leaves, often with a thorny edge (Fig. 306). Raceme branched or unbranched.--Aloë; Gasteria; Yucca (has secondary thickening, p. 274).

=F.= HEMEROCALLIDEÆ. Phormium, (Ph. tenax. New Zealand Flax); Funckia (Hosta); Hemerocallis.

At this point the following are best placed: Aphyllanthes (A. monspeliensis); Xanthorrhæa (Black-boy); Xerotes; Lomandra; Kingia; the very membranous, dry perianth of the last resembles that of the Juncaceæ, and also there are only 1–few ovules in the loculi.

POLLINATION by insects. Honey in some is produced on the perianth (see Tulipeæ), in others by glands on the carpels (in the septa and parietal placentæ, septal glands): Hyacinthus, Allium, Anthericum, Asphodelus, Yucca, Funckia, Hemerocallis, etc. Some Allium-species are protandrous. Fritillaria is visited by bees, Lilium martagon by moths, L. bulbiferum by butterflies, Phormium (New Zealand) by honey-birds.

About 1,580 species; rare in cold climates; their home is in sunny plains with firm, hard soil, and warm or mild climate, particularly in the Old World (S. Africa; As. Steppes; Mediterranean); at the commencement of spring the flowers appear in great profusion, and after the course of a few weeks disappear; during the hot season their life lies dormant in the bulb, hidden underground. The woody species are tropical.--The majority of the introduced Liliaceæ (Fritillaria imperialis, Crown-imperial; Lilium candidum; Tulipa gesneriana; Hyacinth; Muscari-species; Scilla-species; Ornithogalum nutans; Hemerocallis fulva and flava; Asphodelus luteus and albus) come from the Mediterranean and W. Asia; Funckia from China and Japan; several Lilies from Japan and the Himalayas; Agapanthus from the Cape; Allium sativum is a native of the Kerghis-Steppes; A. cepa from Persia (?); A. ascalonicum is not known wild (according to others a native of Asia Minor), perhaps a form of A. cepa; A. schænoprasum from the N. temp. region.

Many bulbs have pungent properties; many Onions are used as culinary plants. The bast fibres of Phormium tenax (New Zealand Flax) are used technically. Dyes are obtained from the Aloe; gum for varnish from the stem of Xanthorrhæa hostile and australe. OFFICINAL; “Aloes,” the dried sap of S. African species of Aloe (A. Africana, A. ferox, etc.); the bulb known as “Squills” from Urginea (Scilla) maritima (Mediterranean).

Order 3. =Convallariaceæ.= This order differs from the Liliaceæ in having the fruit a berry (Fig. 308) and in never being bulbous; the seeds are less numerous.

=A.= CONVALLARIEÆ, LILY OF THE VALLEY GROUP. Rhizome (Fig. 307) and normal foliage-leaves.--Polygonatum: rhizome creeping; aerial shoot leafy, bearing the flowers in racemes in the axils of the foliage-leaves; perianth tubular. P. multiflorum (Solomon’s seal), P. officinale, etc.--Majanthemum: flower 2-merous; perianth almost polyphyllous, spreading. Smilacina. Streptopus (S. amplexifolius; the flowers or inflorescence unite with the entire succeeding internode).--Convallaria (1 species C. majalis, Lily of the valley); flowers in terminal racemes; 2 basal foliage-leaves; perianth globose, bell-shaped. Reineckea carnea (Japan, China) in gardens.--Paris (P. quadrifolia, Herb-Paris); flowers solitary, terminal, 4-merous, polyphyllous; styles 4, free (approaching the Colchicaceæ; it is also poisonous); a whorl of 4 (-more) 3-nerved, reticulate leaves on each shoot.--Ornamental plants: species of Trillium, Aspidistra elatior (Japan).

=B.= ASPARAGEÆ, ASPARAGUS GROUP. Scale-like leaves and green assimilating branches.--Asparagus: horizontal rhizome. The aerial shoots are very richly branched; the numerous needle-like bodies upon the plant are leafless shoots, which are crowded together in double scorpioid cymes in the axils of the scale-leaves; the two first lateral axes, placed outside to the left and right, generally bear flowers. Polygamous.--~Ruscus (Butcher’s broom) is a S. European shrub with leaf-like, ovoid or elliptical shoots (phylloclades) which are borne in the axils of scale-like leaves, and bear flowers on the central line. Diœcious. Stamens 3, united, anthers extrorse. Semele androgyna bears its flowers on the edge of the flat shoot.~

=C.= SMILACEÆ. Smilax (Sarsaparilla) (Fig. 308); climbing shrubs with the leaf-sheath produced into tendrils. The leaves have 3–5 strong nerves proceeding from the base, and are reticulate. Orthotropous or semi-anatropous ovules. Diœcious (Fig. 308 C, E).