780 BUETTNERIACEAE 
5-10 mm. long, terminal or opposite the leaves: sepals lanceolate with subulate tips, 3-5 
mm. long: corolla rose-red or nearly violet: petals surpassing the sepals : filaments united 
only at the base : capsules bladdery, 1-1.5 cm. broad, the wing-like angles with prominent 
tips near the base. 
In dry or rocky soil, Texas and tropical America. 
3. RIEDLEA Vent. 
Shrubs or shrubby herbs, often with pubescent foliage. Leaves alternate: blades 
toothed. Flowers perfect, in axillary or terminal clusters. Involucel of 3 bractlets. , 
Sepals 5, nearly distinct, barely accrescent. Petals 5, convolute, flat, marcescent. Stamens 
5 : filaments more or less united at the base. Ovary 5-celled : styles sometimes united below : 
stigmas 5. Ovules 2 in each cavity. Capsule subglobose, 5-celled, loculicidal and later 
septicidal. Seeds commonly solitary in each cavity. Endosperm fleshy. Embryo straight. 
Flowers in terminal spike-like panicles, chiefly with small bracts: petals fully 10 mm yj esata 
Flowers in terminal head-like clusters, with leaf-like bracts : petals 4-6 mm. long. 2. R. I rehorifolia. 
1. Riedlea glabréscens (Presl.) Small. A shrubby herb, 3-12 dm. tall, with some- 
what hirsute foliage. Leaf-blades ovate to lanceolate, 1.5-6 cm. long, usually acute or 
acuminate, serrate, rounded or subcordate at the base ; petioles 2-10 mm. long : flower- 
clusters in terminal interrupted spike-like panicles, subtended by small inconspicuous 
bracts, or sometimes 1 or 2 of the lower clusters accompanied by leaf-like bracts: sepals 
linear or linear-lanceolate, 4-5 mm. long : petals purple, about T cm. long : capsules 4-4.5 
mm. long. ([R. serrata var. glabrescens Pred.] 
In pine lands, southern peninsular Florida. Summer. . 
2. Riedlea corchorifdlia (L.) DC. An herb, sometimes more or less woody at the 
base, 4-11 dm. tall, glabrous or sparingly hispidulous. Leaf-blades ovate or ovate-lanceo- 
late, 2-6 cm. long, acute, serrate or dentate-serrate, rounded or truncate at the base ;- pet- 
ioles 1-3 em. long: flower clusters chiefly in dense terminal heads accompanied by leaf- 
like bracts: sepals linear, 5-6 mm. long: petals pale purple above the yellow claws, 4-6 
mm. long: capsules about 4 mm. high. 
In waste grounds or about rice-fields, Georgia to Alabama and Florida. Spring to fall. 
4. WALTHERIA L. 
Herbs, shrubs or trees, with stellate and simple pubescence. Leaves alternate: blades 
toothed : stipules narrow. Flowers small, perfect, usually in axillary clusters or small 
cymes. Involucel of 3 deciduous bracts. Sepals 5, united at the base into a turbinate 10- 
nerved tube. Petals 5, spatulate, convolute, withering-persistent. Stamens 5: filaments 
united below, not accompanied by staminodia : anthers with parallel sacs. Ovary 1-celled, 
sessile : stylesimple, not central: stigma club-shaped or brush-like. Ovules 2 in a cavity. 
Follicles 1-celled, 2-valved lengthwise. Seed solitary, ascending. Endosperm fleshy. 
Embryo straight, axile. 
1. Waltheria Americana L. Foliage tomentose. Stems 6-12 dm. tall, stiff: leaf- 
blades ovate to oblong, 1-5 cm. long, serrate, rounded or cordate at the base, on stout 
petioles: flowers in dense sessile or peduncled axillary clusters: sepals subulate, about 
5 mm. long, villous-hirsute, similar to the bractlets: petals yellow, slightly longer than 
the sepals : follicles 2.5-3 mm. long, pubescent at the top. 
In sand, Florida Keys. Circumtropical. 
5. AYENIA L. d 
Low shrubby herbs, resembling EUPHORBIACEAE, commonly clothed with stellate hairs. 
Leaves alternate: blades toothed. Flowers minute, in axillary clusters or cymes, pedi- 
celled. Involucel wanting. Sepals5. Petals 5, with long involute claws, the blades d 
verging over the stigma. Stamens 5, alternating with 1-2 staminodia : filaments unit 
below into an urn-shaped cup : anthers with 3 parallel sacs. Ovary 5-celled, stalked : styles 
united : stigma 5-lobed or capitate. Ovules 2 in each cavity. Capsule 5-celled, 5-angled, 
muricate, the carpels separating from the central column, then septicidally from each other, 
finally loculicidal. Seeds solitary in each cavity, transversely wrinkled. Endosperm 
wanting. Cotyledons spirally convolute. 
