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). [Illustration: FIG. 307.--Rhizome of _Polygonatum multiflorum_: _a_ bud; _b_ shoot; _c d_ scars left by shoots of previous years.]