COMMELINACEAE 237 



bases. Flowers perfect, solitary or several in variously suppressed cymes, aris- 

 ing from a spathe or involucre of often leaf-like bracts. Periantb in 2 series. 

 Calyx of 3 distinct mostly persistent herbaceous sepals. Corolla often showy, 

 regular or irregular, of 3 early withering or fugacious petals. Androecium of 

 5-6 hypogynous stamens, all of these perfect, or 2-3 sterile. Filaments slender. 

 Anther-sacs mostly opening lengthwise. Gynoecium of 2-3 united carpels. 

 Ovary superior, 2-3-celled. Styles united. Stigma sometimes obscurely 2-3- 

 lobed. Ovules solitary or several in each cavity, orthotropous. Fruit a loculici- 

 dally 2-3-valved capsule. Seeds sometimes suppressed in one cavity. Embryo 

 pulley-shaped in the copious endosperm opposite the hilum. 



Petals alike in shape: perfect stamens 6 or rarely 5. 



Cymes elongated, scorpioid. 1. Tin.vntia. 



Cymes or cymules umbel-like or clustered. 



Cymes or cymules subtended by small or minute bracts very unlike the 

 leaves. 

 Inflorescence simple: filaments pubescent. 2. Cuthbertia. 



Inflorescence dichotomously compound: filaments glabrous. 3. Tradescantella. 



Cymes subtended by an involucre of 1-3 bracts similar to the leaves. 



Petals broad at the base and distinct: filaments free. 4. Tr.^descantia. 



Petals with claws and coherent into a tube: filaments adnate to the 



petals. 5. Trele.asea. 



Petals unequal in size and shape: perfect stamens 3 or rarely 2. 6. Commelina. 



1. TINANTIA Scheidw. 



Perennial herbs, with upright stems. Leaves alternate: blades flat, often quite 

 ample. Peduncles terminal or sometimes in the upper axils. Involucre of leaf -like 

 bracts. Cymes elongated, scorpioid. Sepals 3, nearly equal. Petals 3, nearly equal, 

 showy. Stamens 6, all fertile: filaments filiform, pubescent. Capsule loeulieidally 3- 

 valved. Seeds in one row: testa rough or rugose. 



1. Tinantia anomala (Torr.) Clarke. Stems weak, solitary or tufted, 2-7 dm. tall, 

 glabrous: leaf -blades linear-spatulate below and narrowed into slender petioles, lan- 

 ceolate or ovate-lanceolate above, 5-12 cm. long, acute or acuminate, glaucescent be- 

 neath, cordate, clasping at the base: pedicels 2-5 mm. long: sepals oblong or oblong- 

 lanceolate, 10-12 mm. long, acute: petals deep blue, obovate-elliptic, or obovate, longer 

 than the sepals: filaments pubescent above: capsule oblong-oval, 6 mm. long. 



In rich soil and woods, Texas. Spring and summer. 



2. CUTHBEETIA Small. 



Perennial herbs, with mostly tufted stems. Leaves alternate: blades very narrow 

 and elongated. Cymes umbel-like, solitary at the ends of long peduncles, and subtended 

 by very small bracts wholly unlike the leaves. Sepals 3. Petals 3, reddish, pink or rose- 

 purple, distinct. Stamens 6: filaments pubescent. Capsule loeulieidally 3-valved. 

 Seed with a rough testa. 



Leaf-blades mostly 1-3 mm. broad: cor?llas 1-2 cm. broad: capsules subglobose. I. C. graminea. 



Leaf-blades mostly .5-8 mm. broad: corollas 2-2.5 cm. broad: capsules obovoid. 2. C. rosea. 



1. Cuthbertia graminea Small. Stems erect, 0.5-2 dm. tall, densely tufted, some- 

 times 100 or more together, commonly simple, barely zigzag. Leaves quite numerous; 

 blades narrowly linear or linear-filiform, 1-1.5 dm. long, or shorter above, mostly 1-3 

 mm. broad, acute, mostly erect ; sheaths ciliate : peduncles sometimes overtopping the 

 leaves: cymes 3-15-flowered, simple: pedicels slightly thickened at the apex, becoming 

 about 10 mm. long: sepals oblong-ovate or ovate, 4-5 mm. long, glabrous: corollas j)ink 

 or rose-colored, 1-2 cm. broad: capsules subglobose, about 3 mm. in diameter. 



On sand hills or in sandy woods, Maryland and Missouri to Florida and Texas. Spring and summer. 



2. Cuthbertia rosea (A^ent.) Small. Stems erect or ascending, 2-6 dm. tall, spar- 

 ingly tufted, or solitary, zigzag. Leaves relatively few; blades linear, 1-3 dm. long, or 

 shorter above, mostly 5-8 mm. broad, acute, spreading at maturity; sheaths ciliate: 

 peduncles 5-18 cm. long: cymes 3-10-flowered: pedicels 15 mm. long, abruptly thick- 

 ened at the apex: sepals ovate, becoming 4-5 mm. long, glabrous: corollas 2-2.5 em. 

 broad, rose-purple: capsules obovoid, about 3 mm. long. \ Tradescantia rosea Vent.] 



In sandy oak woods or pine lands, North Carolina to Georgia and Florida. Spring and summer. 



3. TRADESCANTELLA Small. 

 Perennial herbs, with spreading or creeping. stems. Leaves alternate: blades rela- 

 tively short and broad. Cymes dichotomous, the cymules subtended by very small 



