308 BURMANNIACEAE 
showy. Perianth colored, double: sepals 3, equal, distinct: petals 3, distinct, somewhat 
coherent at the base. Staminodia partially united, one broader than the rest, crested : an- 
ther l-celled. Ovary mainly 1-celled, with 2 small additional cavities: style spiral, adnate 
to the stamen-tube at the base: stigma 2-lipped, with lower lip pendulous, appendaged on 
the back. Capsule utricle-like. Seed solitary, erect. Embryo hooked, in hard endosperm. 
Nodes of the inflorescence beardless. 1. T. dealbata. 
Nodes of the inflorescence bearded. 
Branches of the inflorescence erect or ascending : internodes 2-3 mm. long : outer 
bractlets 1-1.2 em. long. 2. T. barbata. 
Branches of the inflorescence spreading or drooping: internodes 5-8 mm long: 
outer bractlets 2-2.5 em. long. 8. T. divaricata. 
1. Thalia dealbàta Roscoe. Plant white-powdery above. Leaves basal; petioles 
elongated, sheathing at the base; blades oblong-ovate or oblong-lanceolate, 2-5 dm. long, 
acute or acuminate, entire, rounded at the base: scapes erect, 10-20 dm. tall, paniculately 
branched above, the branches surpassing the bracts; nodes not bearded ; internodes 1-2 
mm. long: bractlets ovate, the outer 2-15 mm. long, the inner smaller: perianth mainly 
purple, about 1.5 cm. long: capsules globose-oval, 1 cm. long. 
In swamps, South Carolina and Missouri to Florida and Texas. Summer. 
2. Thalia barbata Small. Plant white-powdery. Leaves 2-ranked ; petioles reed- 
like, 3-8 dm. long, sheathing below ; blades leathery, narrowly ovate to oblong-lanceolate, 
2-4 dm. long, acute or somewhat acuminate: scapes reed-like, 9-18 dm. tall, sparingly 
branched above, the branches erect or ascending, short ; nodes bearded ; internodes pow- 
dery, 2-3 mm. long: bractlets ovate, unequal, the outer 1-1.2 cm. long: perianth purple : 
capsules oblong-oval, about 1 cm. long. 
In ponds and swamps, South Carolina to Florida and Texas. Spring to fall. 
3. Thalia divaricata Chapm. Plant green below the inflorescence. Leaves 2-ranked ; 
blades lanceolate or broadly lanceolate, 2-6 dm. long, somewhat acuminate, with many 
lateral nerves, rounded or truncate at the base: petioles much longer than the blades: 
scapes erect, 9-30 dm. tall, widely branching above, the branches spreading or drooping, 
elongated: nodes of the rachis bearded ; internodes 5-8 mm. long, often pubescent: bract- 
lets lanceolate or oblong-ovate, the outer 2-2.5 cm. long, the inner smaller: perianth pur- 
ple: capsules oval-oblong, 8-10 mm. long. 
In ponds and low grounds, Florida. Fall. 
Order 12. ORCHIDALES. 
Terrestrial, aquatic or epiphytic herbs, sometimes with climbing stems. 
Leaves commonly of a fleshy texture, often reduced to scales. Flowers mostly 
perfect and complete, very irregular, or regular in BURMANNIACE®. Perianth 
often highly colored and showy, its parts in 8’s or 6’s. Gynoecium compound. 
Ovary inferior. Seeds numerous, minute. Endosperm wanting. 
Flowers regular: stamens and pistil distinct. FAM. 1. BURMANNIACEAE. 
Flowers irregular: stamens and pistil united into a column. Fam. 2. ORCHIDACEAE. 
FAMILY 1. BURMANNIACEAE Blume. BURMANNIA FAMILY. 
Slight or relatively small caulescent herbs, with fibrous roots. Leaves 
mainly basal, often few, mostly reduced to scales on the stems. Flowers regu- 
lar, perfect, solitary or in terminal racemes or clusters.  Perianth colored, of 3 
sepals and 3 petals, partially united. Stamens 3 or 6, included. Filaments usu- 
ally seated high on a tube. Anthers 2-celled: sacs opening transversely. Gynoe- 
cium of 3 united carpels. Ovary inferior, 1—3-celled, with three central or pa- 
rietal placentae. Styles united. Stigmas 3, sometimes almost wholly united 
into one. Ovules numerous on each placenta. Fruit a terete, or 3-angled or 
3-winged capsule. Seeds minute, somewhat elongated. 
Hypanthium 3-angled or 3-winged : ovary 3-celled : capsule 3-valved from the apex 
or irregularly rupturing. 1. BURMANNIA. 
Hypanthium terete: ovary 1-celled: capsule 3-valved from the base. 2. APTERIA. 
1. BURMANNIA L. 
Annual herbs, with firm erect very slender scape-like stems. Leaves mainly basal. 
early deciduous, grass-like or these wanting, those of the stem merely alternate scales, 
