Order Clviii
DIOSCOREÆ.
A climbing stem, and broad, cordate, or angular leaves, inconspicuous yellowish flowers, and a large fleshy root, are the obvious characteristics of this order, of which the yam is the representative; the roots of this plant yield one of the most important articles of food in the tropical countries. 2083 Testudinária Burch. 2084 Rajánia W. 2085 Dioscórea W.
SECTION II. STAMENS PERIGYNOUS.
ORDER CLIX.
HEMEROCALLIDEÆ.
These are fine shewy plants, bearing their flowers in umbels or racemes, either white, yellow, red, or blue; they are mostly inhabitants of temperate zones, and are of little utility, with the exception of the Aloe, the purgative powers of which need not be insisted on. This genus is, besides, remarkable among Monocotyledones for its fleshy leaves, in which, and its woody stem, it offers a striking deviation from the usual structure of these plants. 747 Poliánthes L. 767 Agapánthus W. 768 Blandfórdia R. Br. 769 Hemerocallis W. 770 Aloe W. 776 Alétris W. 777 Trítoma B. M. 778 Veltheímia H. K. 779 Sanseviéra W. 780 Tulbaghia W. 792 Brodiæ a Sm.
ORDER CLX.
F ASPHODELEÆ.
Different from Hemerocallideæ in their expanded flowers and dark crustaceous seed-coat; the only characters which have yet been discovered to distinguish them. The species are all pretty, many very handsome, some bulbous, some with fasciculated roots, a few with arborescent stems. They are uncommon in tropical countries, very abundant in temperate latitudes, and not unfrequent in the cooler regions of the world. Among the prettiest are Gágea, Scilla, and Hyacinthus; the least interesting are Chlorophytum and Zuccágnia. Asparagus and Dracæ'na have berried fruits; the former is diuretic, and when young is employed as a favorite food; the same properties are possessed by Scilla and A'llium. The stamens of Arthropódium are remarkable for their tuft of yellow hairs, of Dianella for the thickening of the filaments. Many of the A'lliums are very pretty, and admired notwithstanding their unpleasant odor; their roots are all eatable, and those of some among the most useful articles of food. Thysanotus, the fringed violet of New Holland, has rich purple blossoms, with long delicate fringes which sparkle in the sun, as if continually bedewed with minute particles of water. From Phórmium ténax the strong fibrous substance called New Zealand flax is prepared. Xanthorrhæ'a has an arborescent stem which abounds in resin. 808 Asphodelus W. 807 Bulbíne W. en. $806 Eremúrus Bieb. 809 Anthéricum W. 810 Arthropódium R. Br. 811 Chlorophytum Ker 812 Cæsia R. Br. 813 Narthecium B. M. 814 Dianélla Lam. 815 Eustréphus R. Br. 805 Massónia W. 803 Scílla W. 804 Puschkínia Bieb. 802 Ornithogalum W. 801 Gágea Sal. 800 Eriospermum W. 796 A'llium W. 797 Albúca W.
ORDER CLXI. 795 Sowerbæ'a L. T. 798 Xanthorrhoe'a R. Br. 791 Eúcomis W. 799 Thysanotus R. Br. 794 Aphyllánthes W. 775 Phyllóma B. M. 774 Dracæ'na W. 816 Aspáragus L. 817 Drímia Jacq.
SMILACEÆ. 818 Uropétalon Ker 819 Hyacinthus B. M. 820 Zuccagnia Th. 821 Muscári B. M. 822 Lachenalia W. 823 Phórmium W. 824 Cyanélla W. 793 Peliosánthes B. R. 2111 Rúscus W.
These scarcely differ from the baccate Asphodeleæ, except in their usually trifid style, and the membranous integuments of the seed. Many are interesting plants, especially the lily of the valley, a species of Convallária, the odor of which is perhaps the most grateful in the vegetable kingdom. Several others, as Uvulária, Smilacína, Polygonátum, and Trillium are objects of ornament. Smílax is remarkable for its twining stems, and its leaves, which resemble those of Dicotyledones; the roots of several species form the sarsaparilla of the shops, a drug, the nature of which is mucilaginous and rather bitter, and which is employed as diaphoretic and diuretic. Medéola is also an active diuretic. The roots of Támus are purgative and dangerous. 785 Uvulária W. 786 Streptópus M. 787 Convallária Desf. 788 Smilacína Desf. 789 Polygonátum Desf. 790 Ophiopógon Ker 843 Myrsiphýllum 846 Medéola W.en. 2081 Smílax W. 2082 Támus W. 850 Trillium W. 729 Páris W.