The corm and contractile roots of brodiaea lactea

TLDR: A general survey of the cormous monocotyledon, found in low meadows from California to British Columbia, which produces a new corm each year immediately above the old one and has contractile roots provided in the axils of the leaves.

Abstract: Brodiaea lactea (Lindl.) Wats. (B. hyacinthina var. lactea Baker; Hookera hyacinthina (Lindl.) Kuntz.) is found in low meadows from California to British Columbia. It produces a solid corm which varies from 7 to 50 mm. in diameter and is covered with a very heavily lignified sheath. The flower stalk, which is 30-80 cm. tall, bears numerous white, open-campanulate flowers in a several-bracted umbel. The mature corm carries two linear-lanceolate leaves which are 5-8 mm. broad and somewhat shorter than the flower stalk. Like many of the cormous monocotyledons, it produces a new corm each year immediately above the old one. Offsets, provided with contractile roots, are also produced in the axils of the leaves. The contractile roots of these offsets have proved of such interest that in this study emphasis has been placed upon their development. The consideration of the corm has been limited to a rather general survey of its seasonal development.