Fig. 307.—Rhizome of Polygonatum multiflorum: a bud; b shoot; c d scars left by shoots of previous years.
Fig. 308.—Smilax pseudosyphilitica: A shoot of male plant; C ♂-flower; D berry, almost ripe; E the same in longitudinal section. B Smilax syphilitica: portion of branch with base of leaf and tendrils.
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).
D. Dracæneæ. Fruit in some a berry, in others a capsule. The stem of Dracæna, when old, has the appearance of being dichotomously branched; it has the power of increase in thickness, and may become enormously thick. The Dragon-tree of Teneriffe, measured by Humboldt, attained a circumference of 14 m. and a height of 22 m.; the leaves are large, linear or linear-lanceolate.—Cordyline (East Asia), various species in gardens and greenhouses (Yucca is closely allied). Astelia.
Pollination. Paris quadrifolia and Convallaria majalis have no honey, and are chiefly visited by pollen-collecting bees (in the absence of insect visits self-pollination takes place); Polygonatum multiflorum has honey secreted by septal glands and protected by the base of the tubular perianth; it is pollinated by humble-bees, etc. Asparagus officinalis has small, polygamous, greenish, honey-bearing flowers; the ♂-flower is almost twice as large as the ♀; both have rudiments of the opposite sex.
About 555 species; especially from N. America, Europe, and Central Asia.
Officinal: “Dragons’-blood,” a red resinous juice from the stem of Dracæna and the roots of some Central American species of Smilax. The tuberous stems of the Eastern Asiatic Smilax glabra are officinal. The flowers of Convallaria majalis have been lately used as a substitute for Digitalis. Pungent, poisonous properties are possessed by Paris. None of the species are used as food, except the young annual shoots of Asparagus officinalis, a shore-plant which is used as a vegetable.