258 COMMELINACEAE 
1. E. lineare Small. Leaf-blades 2-5 cm. long, curved, attenuate, sparingly 
pubescent or ped em T p id n 1-3 dm. tall, 3—5- E head 
ed broad: bra 
involuere Pn c aeute, pubes a pus 
the tp: sepals ur pe petals 
at least othesof the staminate flowers, 
linear.—Wet woods, and moist pinelands, 
Coastal Plain, Fla., Ala, and Ga.—Spr.— 
E. septangu ulare as admitt ted into our range, 
seems to have been, for the M st part, based 
on small "Rem "of E. lin 
E. compressum Lam. Leaves ascending- 
us eading; blades 2-12 cm. long, flaccid, 
longitudinally striate: scape ERU dm. tall, 
10-12-ridged: head spheroidal, over 1 
thick: petals of the stami ee fore ciliate- 
fimbriate at the apex or above the middle 
cid p and low peels Coastal Plain, Fla. to. Tex. and N. J.—Spr. 
or all r 8. 
E. decangulare L. Leaves erect or ascending: blades 10-50 em. long: 
a: firm, finely many-striate, obtuse: uid stout, 3—10 dm. tall 10—14- 
ridged: head globular, 10-16 mm. thick: bracts of the T acute: bract- 
ur T and petals ciliate, or A acer on the back.—Moist pinelands and 
cid swamps, Coastal oe in and rarely adj. provinces, Fla. [o Tex., Pa., and 
m. or all yea 
4. E. Ravenelii Chapm. Leaves various, the smaller: spreading, the larger 
ae Or ere ae ee 2-13 em. long, pellucid, sues acute: scape very 
slender, 4-30 em. tall, 5-6-ridged: he ad spheroidal, 3-5 mm. thick: bracts of 
the involuere Hoi. Duaci sepals, and petals PNE — Swamps and low 
pinelands, Coastal Plain, Fla. to Miss. and S. C.—Su m.—fall, or all year 
OrpER COMMELINALES—COMMELINAL ORDER 
Caulescent or acaulescent terrestrial or aquatic and often fleshy, or 
epiphytic and firm herbs. Leaves various: thread-like to very broad. In- 
florescence an axillary or terminal spike, raceme, or panicle, or spadix- 
like. Flowers mostly perfect. Calyx and corolla regular or very irregular. 
Gynoecium with the ovary superior or sometimes inferior. Fruit a utricle 
or a capsule. Seeds grain-like or sometimes comose. 
Terrestrial or aquatic plants: foliage not scurfy: dd united. 
Calyx and e ola free, of very different mem : 
stamens fre Fam. 1. COMMELINACEAE. 
Calyx nd CORONA of quite similar members cie partly 
united: stamens partly adnate to the peria Fam.2. PONTEDERIACEAE. 
Epiphytes (except in Ananas, a spiny-toothed cultiv ated 
~ terrestrial), often with scurfy foliage: stigmas 3. Fam. 3. BROMELIACEAE. 
Famity 1. COMMELINACEAE — Spiperwort FAMILY 
Annual or perennial caulescent succulent herbs. Leaves alternate, 
sheathing at the base. Flowers perfect, the mostly umbel-like or rarely 
seorpioid cymes involucrate. Calyx of 3 persistent herbaceous or partly 
p sepals. Cor of 3 equal or unequal delicate petals. Androe- 
of 5-6 stamens, sometimes 2 or 3 mere staminodia. Gynoecium 
