COMMELINACEAE 237 
bases. Flowers perfect, solitary or several in variously suppressed cymes, aris- 
ing from a spathe or involucre of often leaf-like bracts. Perianth in 2 series. 
Calyx of 3 distinct mostly persistent herbaceous sepals. Corolla often showy, 
regular or irregular, of 3 early withering or fugacious petals. Androecium of 
5-6 hypogynous stamens, all of these perfect, or 2-3 sterile. Filaments slender. 
Anther-sacs mostly opening lengthwise. Gynoecium of 2-3 united carpels. 
Ovary superior, 2-3-celled. Styles united. Stigma sometimes obscurely 2-3- 
lobed. Ovules solitary or several in each cavity, orthotropous. Fruit a loculici- 
dally 2-3-valved capsule. Seeds sometimes suppressed in one cavity. Embryo 
pulley-shaped in the copious endosperm opposite the hilum. 
Petals alike in shape: perfect stamens 6 or rarely 5. 
Cymes elongated, scorpioid. 1. TINANTIA. 
Cymes or cymules umbel-like or clustered. 
Cymes or cymules subtended by small or minute bracts very unlike the 
leaves. 
Inflorescence simple: filaments pubescent. 2. CUTHBERTIA. 
Inflorescence dichotomously compound: filaments glabrous. 3. TRADESCANTELLA. 
Cymes subtended by an involucre of 1-3 bracts similar to the leaves. 
Petals broad at the base and distinct : filaments free. 4. TRADESCANTIA. 
Petals with claws and coherent into a tube: filaments adnate to the e 
petals. 5. TRELEASEA. 
Petals unequal in size and shape: perfect stamens 3 or rarely 2. 6. COMMELINA. 
1. TINANTIA Scheidw. 
Perennial herbs, with upright stems. Leaves alternate: blades flat, often quite 
ample. Peduncles terminal or sometimes in the upperaxils. Involucre of leaf-like bracts. 
Cymes elongated, scorpioid. Sepals 3, nearly equal. Petals 3, nearly equal, showy. 
Stamens 6, all fertile: filaments filiform, pubescent. Capsule loculicidally 3-valved. 
Seeds in one row: testa rough or rugose. 
l. Tinantia anómala (Torr. ) Clarke. Stems weak, solitary or tufted, 2-7 dm. tall, 
glabrous: leaf-blades linear-spatulate below and narrowed into slender petioles, lan- 
ceolate or ovate-lanceolate above, 5-12 cm. long, acute or acuminate, glaucescent beneath, 
cordate, clasping at the base: pedicels 2-5 mm. long: sepals oblong or oblong-lanceolate, 
10-12 mm. long, acute: petals deep blue, obovate-elliptic, or obovate, longer than the 
sepals: filaments pubescent above: capsule oblong-oval, 6 mm. long. 
In rich soil and woods, Texas. Spring and summer. 
2. CUTHBERTIA Small. 
Perennial herbs, with mostly tufted stems. Leaves alternate : blades very narrow and 
elongated. Cymes umbel-like, solitary at the ends of long peduncles, and subtended by 
very small bracts wholly unlike the leaves. Sepals 3. Petals 3, reddish, pink or rose- 
purple, distinct. Stamens 6: filaments pubescent. Capsule loculicidally 3-valved. Seed 
with a rough testa. 
Leaf-blades mostly 1-3 mm. broad: corollas 1-2 em. broad : capsules subglobose. 1. C. graminea. 
Leaf-blades mostly 5-8 mm. broad: corollas 2-2.5 em. broad : capsules obovoid. 2. C. rosea. 
1. Cuthbertia gramínea Small. Stems erect, 0.5-2 dm. tall, densely tufted, 
sometimes 100 or more together, commonly simple, barely zigzag. Leaves quite numer- 
ous; blades narrowly linear or linear-filiform, 1-1.5 dm. long, or shorter above, mostly 
1-3 mm. broad, acute, mostly erect; sheaths ciliate: peduncles sometimes peda Coa the 
leaves : cymes 3-15-flowered, simple: pedicels slightly thickened at the apex, becoming 
about 10 mm. long: sepals oblong-ovate or ovate, 4-5 mm. long, glabrous: corollas pink 
or rose-colored, 1-2 em. broad: capsules subglobose, about 3 mm. in diameter. 
Onsand hills or in sandy woods, Maryland and Missouri to Florida and Texas. Spring and summer 
2. Cuthbertia rosea ( Vent.) Small. Stems erect or ascending, 2-6 dm. tall, sparingly 
tufted, or solitary, zigzag. Leaves relatively few ; blades linear, 1-3 dm. long, or shorter 
above, mostly 5-8 mm. broad, acute, spreading at maturity; sheaths ciliate: peduncles 
5-18 em. long: cymes 3-10-flowered : pedicels 15 mm. long, abruptly thickened at the 
apex: sepals ovate, becoming 4-5 mm. long, glabrous: corollas 2-2.5 cm. broad, rose- 
purple : capsules obovoid, about 3 mm. long. [Tradescantia rosea V ent. ] 
In sandy oak woods or pine lands, North Carolina to Georgia and Florida. Spring and summer. 
3. TRADESCANTELLA Small. 
Perennial herbs, with spreading or creeping stems. Leaves alternate: blades rel- 
atively short and broad. Cymes dichotomous, the cymules subtended by very small 
