[*][*] Flowers nodding, the sepals sessile; bulbs rhizomatous.
3. L. supérbum, L. (Turk's-cap Lily.) Stem 3–7° high; lower leaves whorled, lanceolate, pointed, 3-nerved, smooth; flowers (3´ long) often many (3–20 or 40) in a pyramidal raceme; sepals strongly revolute, bright orange, with numerous dark purple spots inside.—Rich low grounds, N. Brunswick to Ga., west to Minn. and Mo.
4. L. Canadénse, L. (Wild Yellow Lily.) Stem 2–5° high; leaves remotely whorled, lanceolate, strongly 3-nerved, the margins and nerves rough; flowers few (2–3´ long), long-peduncled, oblong-bell-shaped, the sepals recurved-spreading above, yellow or orange, usually spotted with brown.—Moist meadows and bogs, N. Brunswick to Ga., west to Minn. and Mo.
5. L. Gràyi, Watson. Stems 2–3° high; leaves in whorls of 4–8, lanceolate, acute or slightly acuminate, smooth; flowers 1 or 2, nearly horizontal, the sepals (1½–2½´ long) but little spreading above the rather broad base, rather abruptly acute, deep reddish orange, thickly spotted within.—Peaks of Otter, Va., and southward in the mountains to N. C.
L. tigrìnum, Ker. (Tiger Lily.) Tall, pubescent above; leaves scattered, narrowly lanceolate, dark green, 5–7-nerved, the upper axils bulbiferous; flowers large, resembling those of L. superbum.—An escape from gardens. (Adv. from E. Asia.)
22. MEDÈOLA, Gronov. Indian Cucumber-root.
Perianth recurved, the 3 sepals and 3 petals oblong and alike (pale greenish-yellow), deciduous. Stamens 6; anthers shorter than the slender filaments, oblong, extrorsely attached above the base, but the line of dehiscence of the closely contiguous parallel cells lateral or slightly introrse. Stigmas, or styles, stigmatic down the upper side, recurved-diverging from the globose ovary, long and thread-form, deciduous. Berry globose (dark purple), 3-celled, few-seeded.—A perennial herb, with a simple slender stem (1–3° high, clothed with flocculent and deciduous wool), rising from a horizontal and tuberous white rootstock (which has the taste of cucumber), bearing near the middle a whorl of 5–9 obovate-lanceolate and pointed, sessile, lightly parallel-ribbed and netted-veiny, thin leaves; also another of 3 (rarely 4 or 5) much smaller ovate ones at the top, subtending a sessile umbel of small recurved flowers. (Named after the sorceress Medea, for its supposed great medicinal virtues.)
1. M. Virginiàna, L.—Rich damp woods, N. Eng. to Minn., Ind., and southward. June.
23. TRÍLLIUM, L. Wake Robin. Birthroot.
Sepals 3, lanceolate, spreading, herbaceous, persistent. Petals 3, larger, withering in age. Stamens 6; anthers linear, on short filaments, adnate, usually introrse; the cells opening down the margins. Stigmas sessile, awl-shaped or slender, spreading or recurved above, persistent, stigmatic down the inner side. Ovary 3–6-angled. Berry ovate, usually 6-angled or -winged, 3-celled (purple or red). Seeds ovate, horizontal, several in each cell.—Low perennial herbs, with a stout and simple stem rising from a short and præmorse tuber-like rootstock, naked, bearing at the summit a whorl of 3 ample, commonly broadly ovate, more or less ribbed but netted-veined leaves, and a terminal large flower; in spring. (Name from triplum, triple; all the parts being in threes.)—Monstrosities are not rare with the calyx and sometimes petals changed to leaves, or the parts of the flower increased in number.