Class XI. Order I. 187 



Order III. TRIGYNIA. Three styles. 

 198. EUPHORBIA. Calyx inflated, inferior; petals 

 or nectaries four or five, standing on the calyx ; cap- 

 sule three lobed, supported by a pedicel. 



DODECANDRIA. 

 MONOGYNM. 



194. AS ARUM. 

 ASARUM CANADENSE. L. Wild Ginger. 



Bigelow, Medical Botany, PI. xv. 



Leaves two, reniform ; calyx woolly, cleft to the 

 base ; its segments spreading at top. 



A low plant with two leaves and an axillary flower growing 

 close to the ground. The root is creeping, fleshy, and some- 

 what jointed. Leaves kidney shaped, pubescent on both sides, 

 with long, round, hairy petioles. Flower solitary, growing from 

 the fork of the stem on a pendulous, hairy peduncle, and some- 

 times nearly buried in the ground. Calyx very hairy or woolly, 

 consisting of three broad, concave leafets, which are mostly of a 

 brownish or dull purple on the inside at top and bottom, and ter- 

 minated by a long, spreading, inflected point, with reflexed sides. 

 The colour varies greatly, according to the amount of light 

 which the plant enjoys, being sometimes nearly green. Sta- 

 mens twelve, inserted on the germ at a distance from the ca- 

 lyx, the alternate ones longer. Anthers growing to the filaments 

 below their extremity. Near the divisions of the calyx are 

 three short, curved, filamentary substances, which may perhaps 

 be called nectaries. Germ inferior, somewhat hexagonal, mark- 

 ed at top inside, with a dark red lihe ; style conical, striate, 

 parted at top into six recurved, radiating stigmas. Dry woods, 

 in the western and northern parts of the state. May to July. 

 Perennial. 



