898 GALACACEAE 



Family 7. GALACACEAE Small. Galax Family. 



Perennial scapose liei'bs. Leaves alternate, basal, few, not crowded, without 

 stipules : blades leathery, merely toothed, relatively broad. Flowers perfect, 

 solitary or in a terminal raceme. Calyx of 5 partially united sepals, persistent. 

 Corolla white, of 5 partially united petals. Androecium of 5 stamens. Fila- 

 ments united below. Staminodia 5, partially adnate to the corolla and some- 

 times to the filaments. Gynoecium of 3 united carpels. Ovary superior, 3- 

 celled, free. Styles united. Stigma 3-lobed. Ovules numerous in each cavity 

 of the ovary. Fruit a loculicidally 3-valved capsule. Seeds minute. 



Flowers solitary : corolla-lobes erose : staminodia distinct at the base of the corolla-tube. 1. Shortia. 

 Flowers in elongated racemes : corolla-lobes entire : staminodia united to the filaments below. 



2. Galax. 



1. SHORTIA T. & G. 



Evergreen scapose herbs, perennial by slender branching rootstocks. Leaves persistent : 

 blades toothed, cordate or truncate at the base, lustrous : petioles elongated, dilated at the 

 base. Scapes often scaly, simple, each topped with a nodding flower. Calyx-lobes 5, strongly 

 imbricated, those of the outer and inner series dissimilar, striate-nerved. Corolla white or 

 pink : tube campanulate : lobes 5, imbricated, more or less spreading, strongly erose at the 

 apex. Stamens 5: filaments distinct above, short: anther-sacs opening obliquely. Stami- 

 nodia 5, scale-like, on the base of the corolla-tube. Ovary 3-celled : stigma obscurely 3- 

 lobed. Ovules numerous, inserted in axile placentae. Capsule 3-celled, loculicidally 3- 

 valved. Seeds in three rows, the testa granular. 



1. Shortia galacifolia T. & G. Acaulescent, glabrous. Leaves basal ; blades 

 leathery, oval to suborbicular, 1-7 cm. long, rounded or emarginate at the apex, crenate- 

 dentate with more or less mucronate teeth, truncate or cordate at the base, lustrous above ; 

 petioles much longer than the blades : scapes 5-15 cm. tall, from a set of acuminate im- 

 bricated bracts, simple, naked or with several thin scales near the top : calyx glabrous ; 

 lobes unequal, oblong or ovate-oblong, often becoming broadly lanceolate, 7-10 mm. long, 

 obtuse or acutish, finely ribbed in age : corolla white, 2-3 cm. broad ; lobes obovate or 

 broadly cuneate, coarsely erose or erose-laciniate, longer than the tube : stamens included : 

 staminodia ovate, barely J as long as the tube : style exserted : capsules ovoid, 5-6 mm. 

 long, surrounded by the sepals. 



Near mountain streams, North Carolina and South Carolina. Spring. Shortia. 



2. GALAX L. 



Acaulescent herbs, perennial by colored horizontal scaly rootstocks. Leaves basal, 

 persistent: blades thick, suborbicular, crenate, palmately-nerved, cordate : petioles elon- 

 gated somewhat sheathing at the base. Scapes erect, naked. Flowers in dense elongated 

 spike-like racemes, short-pedicelled. Bracts small, deciduous. Calyx-lobes 5, imbricated, 

 nerveless, persistent. Corolla white, with a short tube and 5 entire spreading lobes. 

 Stamens 5 : filaments spatulate, united below with 5 alternating spatulate staminodia : 

 anthers 1-celled, transversely 2-valved, introrse. Ovary 3-celled : stigma 3-lobed. Ovules 

 numerous in each cavity, anatropous. Capsule ovoid, 3-celled, 3-valved. Seeds numerous, 

 angled, the testa loose. 



1. Gala^: aphylla L. Scapose, glabrous. Leaves basal ; blades leathery, suborbic- 

 ular in outline, 4-10 cm. broad, copiously crenate with apiculate teeth, cordate, lustrous ; 

 petioles several times longer than the blades : scapes erect, solitary or clustered, 2-7 cm. 

 tall : racemes spike-like, virgate, strict, densely-flowered : pedicels slender, 1-3 mm. long ; 

 bracts deciduous : calyx 1.5 mm. high ; lobes oblong, slightly narrowed at the base, 

 3.5-4 mm. long, obtuse, often crisped : stamens not exserted : capsules ovoid, nearly 3 

 mm. long, erect or ascending, acute. 



In dry soil, chiefly in the mountains, Virginia to middle Georgia, and near the coast of Virginia 

 and North Carolina. Spring and summer. Galaxy. Beetle-weed. 



Order 2. PRIMULALES. 



Herbs, shrubs, trees or vines. Leaves alternate or opposite, sometimes all 

 basal : blades mostly entire. Flowers perfect or polygamo-dioecious, variously 



