Family Liliaceae

Family Liliaceae

Many of the spring flowers that bloom in Canadian woods before the trees are in full leaf, belong to the Lily Family (Liliaceae). They often have swollen underground stems that store food for the next year's plant. Their leaves have parallel veins that come from the base and their sepals and petals are in threes often coloured the same so it looks as if the flowers have six petals. Typical lilies have six stamens and a stigma with three lobes. [CH] {GW}