Tofieldia
(named in honour of Tofield, a York-shire botanist). False Asphodel. SYNS. Hebelia, Heriteria. ORD. Liliaceae. A genus comprising about fourteen species of mostly hardy, perennial herbs; two are natives of the Andes, and the rest are broadly dispersed over mountainous and temperate regions. Flowers small, shortly pedicellate or sub-sessile, in terminal spikes; perianth persistent, the segments distinct or very shortly connate near the base; stamens six. Leaves radical or clustered at the base of the stem, short-linear, sub-distichous; cauline ones few or none. T. palustris is a native of Britain, but of no particular beauty. T. pubens, the only species calling for mention here, thrives in any light soil, in a moist situation. It may be increased by division of the roots.
T. pubens (downy). fl., perianth whitish, two lines long, raceme loose, 2in. to 4in. long. July. l. radical, narrow-linear, somewhat rigid, glabrous, 6in. to 12in. long. Stem slender, 1ft. to 2ft. high. North America, 1840. (B. M. 3859.)