GENUS 13. 



SAXIFRAGE FAMILY. 



229 



i. Mitella diphylla L. Two-leaved Bishop's Cap or Mitre-wort. Fig. 2183. 



Mitella diphylla L. Sp. PI. 406. 1753. 



Scape io'-i8' high, pubescent, bearing 

 a pair of opposite nearly or quite sessile 

 leaves near its middle. Basal leaves 

 broadly ovate, cordate at the base, acute 

 or acuminate at the apex, 3~5-lobed, 

 dentate, scabrous and with scattered 

 hairs on both sides, i'-2' long; leaves 

 of the scape similar, usually smaller; 

 spiciform raceme erect, 3'-8' long, the 

 flowers distant; calyx-lobes and petals 

 white ; capsule flattish, broad, dehiscent 

 above, the valves spreading. 



In rich woods, Quebec to Minnesota, 

 North Carolina and Missouri. Ascends to 

 2600 ft. in Virginia. A third leaf is rarely 

 borne on the scape at the base of the in- 

 florescence. Currant-leaf. False sanicle. 

 Fringe- or fairy-cup. April-May. 



Mitella oppositifolia Rydb., native in 

 central New York, and cultivated at South 

 Hadley, Massachusetts, differs from M. 

 diphylla in the long-petioled stem-leaves, 

 the lanceolate calyx-lobes and the filiform 

 divisions of the petals. 



2. Mitella nuda L. Stbloniferous or Naked 

 Bishop's Cap or Mitrewort. Fig. 2184. 



Mitella nuda L. Sp. PI. 408. 1753. 



Stem usually stoloniferous, scape erect, very 

 slender, pubescent, 3'-7' high. Basal leaves reni- 

 form-orbicular, obtuse, cordate at the base, crenate 

 or doubly crenate, I'-ii' wide, pubescent with scat- 

 tered hairs on both sides ; stem-leaves usually none ; 

 flowers pedicelled, greenish, about 2" broad; capsule 

 similar to that of the preceding species. 



In cold woods and peat-bogs, Newfoundland and 

 Labrador to the Pacific Coast, south to New England, 

 Pennsylvania, Michigan, and in the Canadian Rocky 

 Mountains. Ascends to 3000 ft. in the Adirondacks. 

 Also in northeastern Asia. April-June, or blooming 

 again in the autumn. 



Mitella intermedia Bruhin, from the vicinity of Cen- 

 terville, Wisconsin, differs from M. nuda in the acute- 

 lobed leaves and the subulate divisions of the petals. 



14. CHRYSOSPLENIUM [Tourn.] L. Sp. PI. 398. 1753. 



Low decumbent or erect somewhat succulent mainly semi-aquatic herbs, with petioled 

 opposite or alternate crenate leaves, with no stipules. Flowers minute, greenish, axillary or 

 terminal, solitary or clustered, perfect. Calyx-tube urn-shaped or obconic, adnate to the 

 ovary, its limb 4~5-lobed. Petals none. Stamens 8-10 (rarely 4-5), inserted on the margin of 

 a disk; filaments short. Ovary i-celled, flattish, 2-lobed; styles 2, short, recurved; ovules o. 

 Capsule membranous, short, inversely cordate or 2-lobed, 2-valved above, few- or many-seeded. 

 Seed-coat muricate or pilose. [Greek, golden spleen, from some reputed medicinal qualities.] 



About 15 species, natives of the north temperate zone and southern South America. Besides 

 the following, 2 others occur in northwestern America. Type species : Chrysosplenium opposi- 

 tifolium L. 



Lower leaves opposite ; flowers mostly solitary. i. C. americanum. 



Leaves all alternate ; flowers corymbose. 2. C. alternifolium. 



