476 



FLORA. 



placentae ; style one ; stigmas 4. Seeds numerous. Seed-coat winged. 

 Only the following genus. 



I. PARNASSIA L 



[From the Greek mount ; the plant called Grass of- Parnassus by Dioscondes. ] 

 About 12 species, natives of the north temperate and arctic zones. Besides the 

 following, another occurs in northwestern America. 



Petals sessile; leaves ovate, oval, orbicular or cordate. 

 Staminodia 3-5 at the base of each petal 



Flower 2-4 cm. broad ; petals much exceeding the calyx-lobes. 



Staminodia not longer than the stamens, stout. i. F. Carolimana. 



Staminodia longer than the stamens, slender. 2. P. grandtfolia. 



Flower 8-10 mm. broad ; petals equalling the calyx-lobes. 3. P. Kotzebuei. 

 Staminodia 5-15 at the base of each petal, slender. 



Flower 8-10 mm. broad ; leaves narrowed at base. 4. P. parviflora. 



Flower 25 mm. broad ; leaves cordate at base. 5. P. palustris, 



Petals clawed ; leaves reniform ; Staminodia 3 at each petal. 6. P. asanfolia. 



1. Parnassia Caroliniana Michx. CAROLINA GRASS OF PARNASSUS. (I. F. 

 f. 1852.) Scape 2-3 dm. high, with a nearly sessile ovate clasping leaf below the 

 middle. Basal leaves long-petioled, ovate, oval or orbicular, obtuse, rounded or 

 sometimes cordate at the base, or decurrent into the petiole, 2-5 cm. long; calyx- 

 lobes ovate-oblong, obtuse; petals broadly oval, white, greenish-veined; stamino- 

 dia generally 3 in each set; capsule 8-10 mm. long. In swamps and low meadows, 

 N. B. to Manitoba, N. Car. and Iowa. June-Sept. 



2. Parnassia grandiiolia DC. LARGE-LEAVED GRASS-OF-PARNASSUS. (I. F. 

 f. 1853.) Similar to the preceding, the scape bearing an ovate clasping leaf at the 

 middle or below. Basal leaves often larger and narrowed at the base ; petals 

 white; Staminodia 3-5 in each set, slender or almost filiiorm, exceeding the anther- 

 bearing stamens. In moist soil, Va. to Fla., Mo. and La. July-Sept. 



3. Parnassia Kotzebuei C. & S. KOTZEBUE'S GRASS-OF-PARNASSUS. 

 (I. F. f. 1854.) Scape slender, 7-15 cm. high, leafless, or sometimes with a sin- 

 gle sessile oval leaf near the base. Basal leaves short-petioled, membranous, ovate 

 or oval, narrowed or sometimes cordate at the base, 624 mm. long; calyx-lobes 

 oblong; petals white, 3-5-veined, sessile; Staminodia 3-5 at the base of each petal. 

 Quebec, Lab., arctic Am. to Alaska and in the Canadian Rocky Mts. Summer. 



4. Parnassia parviflora DC. SMALL-FLOWERED GRASS-OF-PARNASSUS. 

 (I. F. f. 1856.) Scape 1-3 dm. high, slender, usually bearing a clasping oval leaf 

 at the middle. Basal leaves petioled, oval or ovate, narrowed at the base, not cor- 

 date, 12-25 mm - l n g; sepals equalling or somewhat shorter than the elliptic 

 sessile petals; Staminodia 5-7 at the base of each petal. In wet places, Quebec to 

 Lab. and the Pacific Coast, south to Mich, and Utah. July-Sept. 



5. Parnassia palustris L. MARSH OR NORTHERN GRASS-OF-PARNASSUS. 

 (I. F. f. 1855.) Scape slender, 1-3 dm. high, bearing a clasping ovate leaf below 

 the middle, or rarely leafless. Basal leaves slender-petioled. ovate, obtuse at the 

 apex, usually cordate at the base, 18-35 mm - l n g; calyx ^-| shorter than the 

 elliptic few-veined sessile petals; Staminodia 9-15 at the base 01 each petal. In 

 wet places, Newf. and Lab. to Alaska, Mich, and Wyo. Also in Europe and Asia. 

 July-Sept. 



6. Parnassia asarifolia Vent. KIDNEY-LEAVED GRASS OF-PARNASSUS. 

 (I. F. f. 1857.) Scape 2.5-5 dm. high* bearing a clasping nearly orbicular leaf at 

 about the middle. Basal leaves long-petioled, rounded, kidney-shaped, often 5 -8 cm. 

 wide; flower 2535 mrn - broad; calyx-lobes oval, much shorter than the strongly 

 veined elliptic petals; Staminodia 3 in each set, slender, about the length of the 

 stamens. In wet places, mountains of Va., Tenn., Ga., and N. Car. July-Oct. 



Family 5. SAXIFRAGACEAE Dumort* 



Saxifrage Family. 



Herbs. Flowers perfect or polygamo-dioecious. Calyx 5-lobed or 

 5-parted frarel i2-lobed or parted), free, or adnate to the ovary, 



* Revised by Dr. P. A. RYDBERG. 



