30 



CORRUilOI.ACKAE. 



Vol. 11. 



2. Anychia canadensis (L.J B.S.1^ Slcii- 

 (l(.:r l-'orkctl Chickwecd. Fig. 1724. 



Queria canadensis L. Sp. PI. 90. 1753. 



Anychia dichotoma Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. i: iij. 

 1803. 



Queria capillacea Nutt. Gen. i : 159. 1818. 



Anychia capillacea DC. Prodr. 3: 369. 1828. 



Anychia canadensis B.S.P. Prel. Cat. N. Y. 1888. 



Glabrous or very nearly so, stem very slender 

 or filiform, iisnally erect, repeatedly forked 

 above, 6'-i2' tall, the internodes sometimes i' 

 long, much longer than those of the preceding 

 species. Leaves elliptic, oval or sometimes ob- 

 lanccolate, 3"-8" long, l"-4" wide, obtuse or 

 short-pointed at the apex, narrowed into petioles 

 about i" long, not crowded; flow-ers minute, 

 more or less pedicelled. 



In dry woods, Vermont and Ontario to Massa- 

 chusetts and Georgia, west to Minnesota, Kansas 

 and Arkansas. Ascends to 4200 ft. in North Caro- 

 lina. June-Sept. 



4. SCLERANTHUS L. Sp. PI. 406. 1753. 

 Low annual herbs, ith ratlier stiff forking stems, opposite subulate leaves connate at 

 the base, no stipules and minute green clustered apetalous flowers. Calyx not bracted, 

 deeply s-lobed (rarely 4-lobed), the lobes awnless, the cup-like tube (hypanthium) hardened. 

 Stamens i-io, inserted on the calyx-tube. Ovary ovoid; styles 2, distinct; ovule solitary, 

 pendulous, amphitropous. Utricle l-seeded, enclosed by the calyx. [Greek, referring to the 

 hard calyx-tube.] 



About 10 species, of wide geographic distribution in the Old 

 World, the following naturalized from Europe as a weed. 

 Type species : Sclcrauthus amutiis L. 



I. Scleranthus annuus L. Knawel. German 

 Knotgrass. Fig. 1725. 



Scleranthus anniius L. Sp. PI. 406. 1753. 



Much branched from long and rather tough roots, the 

 branches prostrate or spreading, 3'-^' long, roughish- 

 puberulent or glabrous. Leaves subulate, 2"-i2" long, 

 ciliate, light green, often recurved, their bases membran- 

 ous at the junction; tube of the calyx lo-angled, ratlier 

 longer than the lobes, usually glabrous, the lobes some- 

 what angled on the back and their margins incurved. 



In fields and waste places or on dry rocks, Quebec and On- 

 tario to Pennsylvania and Florida, mostly near the coast. 

 Naturalized from Europe. Very common in parts of the 

 Eastern and Middle States. Gravel-chickweed. Parsley-piert. 

 March-Oct. 



Family 20. NYCTAGINACEAE Lindl. Nat. Syst. Ed. 2, 213. 1836. 



Four-o'clock Family. 

 Herbs (some tropical genera trees or shrubs) with simple entire leaves, and 

 regular flowers in terminal or axillary clusters, in the following genera subtended 

 by involucres of distinct or united bracts. Petals none. Calyx inferior, usually 

 corolla-like, its limb campanulate, tubular or salverform, 4-5-lobed or 4-S-toothed. 

 Stamens hypogynous : filaments filiform ; anthers 2-celled, dehiscent by lateral slits. 

 Ovary enclosed by the tube of the perianth, sessile or stipitate, i-celled, i-ovuled; 

 ovule campylotropous ; style short or elongated ; stigma capitate. Fruit a ribbed, 

 grooved or winged anthocarp. 



About 25 genera and 350 species, of wide geographic distribution, most abundant in America. 

 Involucre of united bracts : pairs of leaves equal. i. Allionia. 



Involucre of separate bracts ; pairs of leaves mostly unequal. 



Wings or ridges of the fruit not completely encircling it. 2. Abronia. 



Wings of the fruit completely encircling it. 3. Tripferocalyx. 



