MELANTHACEAE 251 



Ovary 3-cellecl, the carpels united to above the middle. Ovules several in each cavity. 

 Capsule fluted, long and narrow, each carpel with a slender erect tip. Seeds few, narrow. 



1. Tracyanthus angustifolius (Michx.) Small. Foliage glabrous. Stems 5-10 dm. tall, 

 simple, racemose at the top: leaf-blades narrowly linear, 1-7 dm. long, or shorter above, 

 flat: racemes oblong-cylindric, 5-10 cm. long: pedicels slender, 1-2 cm. long: perianth 

 white, sometimes turning purple: sepals and petals cuneate, or the oval or ovate sepals 

 somewhat the broader, all 4-5 mm. long, obtuse: capsule narrowly conic, somewhat lustrous, 

 15-20 mm. long, the carpels with erect tips: seeds linear. [Amianthium angustifolium 

 (Michx.) A. Gray. Zygadenus angustifolius (Michx.) S. Wats.] 



In low grounds. North Carolina to Florida. Spring. Cbow-poison. 



9. VERATRUM L. 



Coarse caulescent pubescent herbs, with stout poisonous rootstocks. Leaves mainly 

 cauline, often ample: blades plaited, sessile, or with short clasping petiole-like bases. Flowers 

 polygamous or monoecious, numerous. Perianth greenish, yellow or purple: sepals and 

 petals 6, glandless or nearly so, adnate to the base of the ovary, clawless. Stamens 6, inserted 

 at the bases of the perianth-members: filaments filiform: anther-sacs confluent. Ovary 

 3-celled: styles 3, persistent. Ovules usually numerous. Capsule 3-lobed, septicidally 

 3-valved. Seeds several in each cavity, flat, broadly winged. 



Upper stem-leaves sessile or merely slightly clasping. 



Pedicels more than twice as long as the subtending bracts. 1. V. parviflorum. 

 Pedicels shorter than the subtending bracts or barely twice as long. 



Bracts shorter than the pedicels. 2. V. intermedium. 



Bracts longer than the pedicels or about as long. 3. V. Woodii. 



Upper stem-leaves with sheathing bases. ' 4. V. viride. 



1. Veratrum paiviflorum Michx. Foliage thinly pubescent. Stems 6-15 dm. tall, 

 slender, often reddish purple: leaves mostly near the base of the stem; blades oblong, elliptic 

 or oval or rarely broadest above the middle, 1-3 dm. long, acute, narrowed into petiole-like 

 bases: stem-leaves reduced to linear or narrowly linear-lanceolate blades: panicles 3-7 dm. 

 long, loosely flowered, the branches slender, usually spreading: pedicels fully twice as long 

 as the subtending bracts: perianth greenish or yellowish green, 10-12 mm. broad: sepals 

 and petals elliptic or spatulate, acute, narrowed to the base: capsules oblong-oval, 12-15 

 mm. long. [M elanthium parviflorum (Michx.) S. Wats.] 



In open woods, on mountain slopes, Virginia to Georgia and Tennessee. Summer. Hellebore. 



2. Veratrum intermedium Chapm. Foliage thinly pubescent. Stems 9-15 dm. tall: 

 leaf-blades narrowly elliptic, 1-3 dm. long, acute, narrowed into sheathing petiole-like bases 

 shorter than the blades: stem-leaves reduced to linear or linear-lanceolate blades: panicle 

 ample, 5-8 dm. long, the branches ascending or curving upward: pedicels longer than the 

 subtending bracts: perianth brown, 15-17 mm. broad: sepals and petals elliptic-spatulate 

 or oblong-spatulate, pubescent without: ovary hairy: capsule 3-winged, fully 1 cm. long. 



In rich hammocks, Florida. Summer. 



3. Veratrum Woodii Robbing. Foliage pubescent, especially above. Stems 6-15 dm. 

 tall: leaf-blades oblong-elliptic or oval, rarely slightly broadest above the middle, 1-3 dm. 

 long, narrowed into sheathing petiole-like bases as long as the blades or shorter; stem-leaves 

 reduced to linear blades: panicle ample, 3-9 dm. long, the branches ascending: pedicels 

 about as long as the bracts or shorter: perianth purple, 12-15 mm. broad: sepals and petals 

 spatulate or cuneate, obtuse, glabrous or nearly so: ovary pubescent when young: capsules 

 oblong or oval, 12-15 mm. long. 



On dry hillsides and in woods, Indiana to Missouri and Arkansas. Summer. False Hellebore. 



4. Veratrum viride Ait. Foliage pubescent. Stems 6-25 dm. tall, stout, more or less 



completely sheathed: leaf-blades broadly oval or on upper part of stem becoming elliptic or 



oblong, 1-3 dm. long, narrowed into sheathing bases: panicle ample, 2-6 dm. long, closely 



pubescent, many-flowered: pedicels shorter than the subtending bracts: perianth yellowish 



green, 2-2.5 cm. broad: sepals and petals oblong or oblong-elliptic, ciliate and serrulate: 



ovary glabrous: capsules 2-2.5 cm. long, oblong or oblong-ovate. 



In swamps and deep woods, Quebec to Alaska, Georgia, Tennessee, Minnesota and British Columbia. 

 Spring and summer. Indian Poke. American White Hellebore. 



10. STENANTHIUM Kunth. 



Glabrous caulescent herbs, with bulb-like rootstocks. Leaves mainly basal: blades 

 linear, elongated, somewhat keeled, few on the stem. Flowers polygamous, the upper ones 

 of the raceme fertile, numerous in terminal panicles. Perianth white or greenish: sepals 



