Genus ig. 



FIGWORT FAMILY. 



2. Ilysanthes attenuata (Muhl.) Small. 



Short-stalked False Pimpernel. 



Fig. 3791. 



Lindernia attenuata Muhl. Cat. 59. 1S13. 

 Ilysanthes gratioloides curtipedicellata Bush, Bull. 



Torr. Club 21 : 494. 1894. 

 /. attenuata Small, Bull. Torr. Club 23: 297. 1896. 



Stem erect or ascending, 3-16' long, the branches 

 spreading. Leaves oblong to ovate, or sometimes 

 obovate, i'-li' long, thinnish, obtuse, serrate with 

 a few low teeth, 3-5-nerved, narrowed into short 

 petioles, or sessile; peduncles shorter than the 

 leaves ; calyx-segments linear-subulate, as long as 

 the capsule, or longer; corolla 2"-6" long; cap- 

 sule narrowly ovoid, about 2" long, pointed ; seeds 

 slightly curved, li"-2" long, yellowish brown, the 

 ends usually rounded. 



In wet places, New Brunswick and Ontario to Wis- 

 consin, south to Florida and Arkansas. Ascends to 

 2000 ft. in Virginia. Perhaps not specifically dis- 

 tinct from the preceding. May-Oct. 



20. MICRANTHEMUM Michpc. Fl. Por. Am. i : 10. />/. is. 1803. 



Creeping or ascending, branched small leafy annual glabrous herbs, with opposite obovate 

 oval or orbicular sessile entire leaves, and minute white or purplish short-peduncled flowers, 

 solitary in some of the axils. Calyx 4-5-lobed or 4-5-parted. Corolla very irregular, the 

 tube short, the upper lip shorter than the lower, or wanting, the lower 3-lobed, spreading or 

 ascending, the middle lobe the largest. Stamens 2, anterior; filaments short, somewhat 

 dilated or appendaged at the base; anthers small, their sacs distinct, parallel, or slightly 

 divergent. Style short ; stigma 2-lobed. Capsules globose, 2-celled by a membranous parti- 

 tion or becoming i-celled. Seeds several or numerous, minute. [Greek, small flower.] 



About 16 species, natives of America. Besides the following, another occurs in the southern 

 United States. Type species : Micranthemum orbiculatum Michx. 



i. Micranthemum micranthemoides (Nutt.) Wettst. 



Fig. 3792. 



Nuttall's Micranthemum. 



Hemianthus micranthemoides Nutt. Journ. Acad. Phil. 



I : 119. pi. 6. 1817. 

 Micranthemum Nuttallii A. Gray, Man. Ed. 5, 331. 1867. 

 Micranthemum micranthemoides Wettst. in Engl. & 



Prantl, Nat. Pfl. Fam. 4: Abt. 3b. 77. 1891. 



Somewhat fleshy; stem filiform, creeping, the 

 branches ascending, J'-2+' high. Leaves obovate to 

 oval, obtuse, i"-2*" long ; flowers about i" long, 

 borne on peduncles of about the same length; calyx 

 campanulate in flower, obovoid in fruit, 4-lobed, 

 usually split along one side; peduncles recurved in 

 fruit ; upper lip of the corolla nearly obsolete ; mid- 

 dle lobe of the lower lip longer than the lateral ones; 

 appendages at the bases of the stamens nearly as 

 long as the filaments ; capsule obovoid-globose, I" in 

 diameter, as long as the calyx. 



In tidal mud, New Jersey to Florida. Aug.-Oct. 

 This species is the type of the genus Hemianthus Nutt., 

 which has been regarded as distinct from Micranthe- 

 mum by other authors, a view which may be maintained. 



21. LIMOSELLA L. Sp. PI. 631. 1753. 



Low glabrous succulent floating or creeping, tufted annual herbs (or perennial by stolons?), 

 with filiform stems rooting at their nodes, basal slender-petioled entire leaves, and filiform 

 i-flowered scape-like peduncles, the flowers small, white, pink, or purple. Calyx campanu- 

 late, 5-lobed. Corolla nearly regular, open-campanulate, the tube short, the limb 5-cleft. 

 Stamens 4, inserted on the corolla-tube, scarcely exserted ; filaments short ; anther-sacs con- 

 fluent. Style short; stigma capitate. Ovary 2-celled at the base, i-celled above. Capsule 

 globose or oblong, becoming i-celled, many-seeded. [Greek, mud seated. 1 



About 6 species, of wide geographic distribution. Type species : Limosella aquatica I.. 



