Class XIII. Order I. 213 



at which time the fragments are found connected by a mass of 

 fibrous, icy crytals. 



115. HUDSONIA. 

 HUDSONIA TOMENTOSA. Nutt. Downy Hudsonia. 



Canescent, tomentose ; leaves ovate, imbricated, 

 shorter than the intervals of the stem ; flowers subses- 

 sile ; calyx obtuse. 



A native of the sandy sea shore at Nantucket, Plumb island 

 and other places, forming dense, clustered thickets. The whole 

 plant is covered with whitish down. Stems ascending, studded 

 with short branches, which are covered with minute, acute, im- 

 bricated leaves. Flowers small, on short, lateral, leafy stalks. 

 Calyx of three leaves, two of which are bifid. Petals five, obo- 

 vate, bright yellow. Stamens about twenty ; filaments a little 

 contorted, anthers roundish. Germ ovate, style crooked. July. 



216. SARRACENIA. 

 SARRACENIA PURPUREA. L. Sidesaddle Flower. 



Leaves decumbent, shorter than the scape, inflated ; 

 ventral wing arched ; appendix broad heart shaped, 

 waved. 



The whole of this genus are plants of very singular structure. 

 The Sarracenia purpurea is the only one which endures our 

 climate. The leaves, which are all radical, are formed by a 

 large hollow tube, swelling in the middle, curved and dimin- 

 ishing downward, till it ends in a stem, contracted at the mouth, 

 furnished with a large, spreading, heart shaped appendage at 

 top, which is hairy within, the hairs pointing downwards ; and 

 a broad, wavy wing extending the whole length on the inside. 

 The full grown leaves will contain a wine glass of water, and are 

 rarely found empty. The scape is long, smooth, and cylindri- 

 cal, supporting a large, nodding flower. Exterior calyx of three 

 small leaves; interior of five ovate, obtuse leaves, shining, and 

 of a brownish purple. Petals five, panduriform, obtuse, repeat- 

 edly curved inward and outward and finally inflected over the 

 stigma, brownish purple above, green below, deciduous. Sta- 

 mens numerous, with short filaments and large bilocular, oblong, 



