306 HAEMODORACEAE 



8. Iris hexAgona "Walt. Stem 3-9 dm. tall: leaf -blades mostly 2-3 cm. wide: 

 perianth violet-blue variegated with white, yellow and purple, the calyx-lobes spatu- 

 late, or with ovate blades, mostly 8^9 cm. long: capsule 2.5-3.5 cm. long. 



In swamps, South Carolina to Kentucky, Florida and Texas. Spring. 



Family 4. HAEMODORACEAE R.Br. Bloodwort Family. 



Perennial caulescent herbs. Leaves alternate, often mainly basal: blades 

 narrow. Flowers perfect, in terminal clusters. Calyx of 3 sepals. Corolla of 

 3 petals, persistent. Androecium of 3 stamens opposite the petals. Gynoe- 

 cium of 3 united carpels. Ovary inferior, 3-celled, or rarely_ 1-celled. Styles 

 united. Fruit a loculicidally 3-valved capsule. 



1. GYROTHECA Salisb. 

 Herbs with colored rootstocks. Leaves equitant. Flowers in a terminal cymose 

 corymb. Perianth pubescent without. Capsule covered by the persistent perianth. 



1. Gyrotheca tinctoria (Walt.) Salisb. Eootstock elongated. Stem 3-12 dm. 

 tall, pubescent above: leaves shorter than the stem, the cauline gradually reduced: 

 sepals and petals nearly linear, the latter 10-12 mm. long: capsules 5-6 mm. in 

 diameter. 



In swamps and wet pine lands, Massachusetts to Florida. Spring to fall. Red-root. 



Order 11. SOITAMINALES. 



Large, commonly perennial, herbs with rootstocks or tubers. Leaves alter- 

 nate, sometimes all basal : blades relatively large, sometimes very large : petioles 

 sheathing at the base. Flowers very irregular. Perianth white or bright- 

 colored. Androecium very irregular. Gynoeeium compound. Ovary inferior. 

 Fruit a capsule or a utricle. Endosperm present. 



PoUeniferous stamens 5 or 6 in each flower. Fam. 1. Musaceae. 



Polleniferous stamens 1 in each flower. 



Ovary 3-celled, all 3 carpels fructiferous: ovules numerous in each 

 cavity of the ovary: fruit capsular: embryo straight. 

 Sepals distinct: anthers 1-celled. Fam. 2. Cannaceae. 



Sepals partially united: anthers 2-celled. Fam. 2. Alpiniaceae. 



Ovary 1-celled, or 3-celled, but 2 of the carpels abortive: ovules soli- 

 tary in each cavity of the ovary: fruit utricular: embryo hooked. Fam. 4. Marantaceae. 



" Family 1. MUSACEAE J. St. Hil. Banana Family. 



Caulescent, usually large herbs, or trees. Leaves spiral or distichous: 

 blades usually very large. Flowers perfect or somewhat monoecious. Inflores- 

 cence conspicuously bracted. Calyx of 3 distinct sepals, or united into a spathe- 

 like organ. Corolla of 3 distinct petals, or of partially united petals, some- 

 times partially adnate to the calyx. Androecium of 5 or 6 polleniferous stamens. 

 Gynoeeium of 3 united carpels. Fruit baccate or capsular. 



1. MtJSA L. 



Tree-like herbs, the stems sheathed with the thick leaf -bases. Leaves with large 

 prominently feather-veined blades. Inflorescence drooping, with large bracts. Petals 

 shorter than the sepals, 2 of them partially adnate to the calyx-tube, the other free, 

 and often short, with a bent tip. Berry elongated. Banana. 



Leaf-blades sessile or nearly so: free petal over H as long as the calyx. 1. M. sapienlum. 



I.eaf-blades long-petioled: free petals less than K as long as the calyx. 2. M. Cavendishii. 



1. Musa sapi^ntutn L. Plants 6-10 m. tall: leaf -blades broadly oblong, 1.5-2.5 

 m. long, rounded or cordate at the base: panicle drooping: 1.5-2 m. long: bracts 

 purplish: calyx about 4 cm. long, the apical appendages minute or obsolete: berries 

 )blong, 8-15 cm. long, bright yellow, the pulp sweet. 



In hammocks, southern peninsular Florida. Naturalized from the East Indies. Com- 

 mon Banana. 



