SAXIFRAGACEAE 499 
inferior, with 3 or 4 parietal placentae. Styles very short. Stigmas 3-4, over the 
plaventae. Ovules anatropous, numerous. Capsule membranous, 1-celled, 
loculicidally 3—4-valved at the apex. Seeds numerous, winged, the testa loose. 
Endosperm wanting. Embryo straight, terete. 
1. PARNASSIA L. 
Characters of the family. Grass-oF-PARNASSUS. 
Leaf-blades longer than broad : petals sessile. 1. P. grandifolia. 
Leaf-blades broader than long: petals with claws. 2. P. asarifolia. 
1. Parnassia grandifélia DC. Leaf-blades suborbicular to ovate, rounded or obtuse 
at the apex, narrowed or cordate at the base, entire; petioles as long as the blades or 
longer: scapes erect, solitary or several together, 3-6 dm. tall, with a bract at the middle 
or much below it: sepals reflexed, ovate, obtuse, striped : petals white or cream-colored 
with dark parallel nerves and dark reticulated veins on either side near the base, oval to 
elliptic, 2-2.5 em. long, sessile: staminodia 3-5 in each set, filiform, about 1 cm. long, 
mo longer than the stamens: filaments recurved at maturity: capsule oval, 1-1.5 mm. 
ong. 
In wet soil, Virginia to Missouri, Florida and Louisiana. Summer and fall. 
2. Parnassia asarifolia Vent. Leaf-blades reniform to orbicular-reniform, 5-10 cm. 
broad, rounded at the apex, entire, cordate at the base, deeper green above than beneath ; 
petioles somewhat longer than the blades or much longer: scapes erect, solitary or tufted, 
2-4 dm. tall, bearing a clasping bract below the middle: sepals ovate or oblong, 4-5 mm. 
long, obtuse : petals cream-colored striped with green, 1.5-2 cm. long, the blades broadly 
ovate to suborbicular, obtuse or notched at the apex ; claws about 3 as long as the blades or 
shorter : staminodia 3 in each set : stamens about as long as the staminodia : capsule ovoid, 
6-10 em. long. 
In wet mountain brooks, Virginia to middle Georgia. Summer and fall. 
FAMILY 5. SAXIFRAGACEAE Dumort. SAXIFRAGE FAMILY. 
Caulescent or acaulescent herbs, with glabrous or variously pubescent foli- 
age. Leaves alternate or opposite: blades often thick. Flowers perfect or 
polygamo-dioecious, solitary, racemose, paniculate or cymose. Perianth usually 
of 2 series. Calyx of 5, or rarely 4 or more sepals, usually persistent. Corolla 
of usually 4-5 distinct petals, or wanting. Disk normally present. Androecium 
of as many or twice as many epigynous or perigynous stamens as there are petals, 
or in apetalous species as many or twice as many as there aresepals. Filaments 
distinct, thickest below the middle or above it. Gynoecium of 1 or several dis- 
tinct or united carpels. Styles as many as there are carpels, or cavities in the 
ovary. Ovules numerous, anatropous. Fruit a capsule or folliele. Seeds com- 
monly numerous, with copious fleshy endosperm. Embryo terete. 
Leaf-blades 3-ternate : flowers ; 
2 : polygamous. 1, ASTILBE. 
Leaf-blades simple, lobed or ternate: flowers perfect. 
Capsules 2-celled: placentae axile. 
Stamens 5. 2. THEROFON. 
Stamens 10. 
Corolla regular : petals all alike or nearly so. 3. MICRANTHES, 
Corolla irregular: petals various, 2 with narrow blades, 3 with sagittate 
or lanceolate blades. 4. SPATULARIA. 
Capsules 1-celled : placentae basal or parietal. 
Placenta basal. 5. TIARELLA. 
Placentae parietal. 
Placentae 3: styles 3. 6, LEPUROPETALON. 
Placentae 2: styles 2. 
Petals present: terrestrial plants. 
Stamens 5: petals entire. 7. HEUCHERA. 
Stamens 10: petals 3-cleft or pinnatifid. 8. MITELLA. 
Petals wanting: aquatic plants. 9. CHRYSOSPLENIUM. 
1. ASTÍLBE Hamilt. 
Perennial caulescent herbs, resembling Aruncus. Leaves alternate : blades thrice com- 
pound, petioled; leaflets toothed. Flowers usually polygamo-dioecious, in terminal 
panicled spikes or racemes. Sepals 5, or rarely 4, imbricated. Petals 5, or rarely 4, or 
wanting, narrow, inserted at the base of the calyx. Stamens 10, inserted with the petals : 
