Glabrous, poisonous perennial herbs, with membranous-coated bulbs, narrowly linear conduplicate leaves and small perfect or polygamous flowers in racemes or panicles. Perianth wholly inferior, free from the ovary, its segments distinct, short-clawed, each bearing an obovate or semi-orbicular gland at or above the base. Stamens mostly adnate to the bases of the perianth-segments; anthers subreniform, confluently 1-celled. Ovary 3-celled. Capsule 3-beaked, 3-celled, containing numerous seeds.

About 7 species, natives of North America. Type species: Zygadenus intermedins Rydb. [Greek, poison-onion.]

Leaves 3"-8" wide; flowers mostly perfect.

1.

T.

Nuttallii.

Leaves 2"-3' wide; flowers polygamous.

2.

T.

gramineum.

11 Toxicoscordion Rydb Bull Torr Club 30 272 1903 1232

1. Toxicoscordion Nuttallii (A. Gray) Rydb. Nuttall's Camass

Fig. 1232

Amianthiuin Nuttallii A. Gray, Ann. Lye. N. Y. 4: 123.

1837. Zygadenus Nuttalhi S. Wats. Proc. Am. Acad. 14: 279.

1879. T. Nuttallii Rydb. Bull. Torr. Club 30: 272. 1903.

Light green, scarcely glaucous, stem 1°-2° high. Bulb large, coated; leaves 3"-8" wide, shorter than the stem, strongly conduplicate, the upper very short; inflorescence racemose or paniculate bracts membranous, scarious, shorter than the slender pedicels; flowers mostly perfect, about 6" broad; perianth-segments oval or ovate, obtuse, free from the ovary, thin, short-clawed, bearing a roundish spot-like gland; capsule 4"-6" long.

On prairies, Kansas, Colorado and Arkansas. May-June.

2. Toxicoscordion Gramineum Rydb. Death-Camass

Fig. 1233

Zygadenus venenosus Rydb. Contr. Dept. Agric. 3: 525.

1896. Not S. Wats. Zygadenus gramineus Rydb. Bull. Torr. Club 27: 535.

1900. T. gramineum Rydb. Bull. Torr. Club 30: 272. 1903.

Pale green, stem slender, 6-2° tall, from a small coated bulb. Leaves conduplicate, roughish, 2"-3" wide, shorter than the stem, the upper small and distant; inflorescence a simple or somewhat branched raceme, 2'~4' long in flower, elongating in fruit, the slender pedicels longer than the scarious lanceolate bracts; flowers yellow or yellowish, polygamous, about 4" wide; perianth-segments ovate or elliptic, obtuse or acutish, short-clawed, free from the ovary, bearing a roundish gland with an irregular margin; fruiting pedicels erect; capsule longer than the perianth.

South Dakota to Saskatchewan, Idaho, Nebraska and Utah. Hog's-potato. Death-camass. Roots poisonous. May-June.

2 Toxicoscordion Gramineum Rydb Death Camass 1233