PODOPHYLLUM PELTATUM. 
Stamens. As many or twice as many as the petals, and op- 
posite to them. Anthers generally opening by recurved 
valves, extrorse. 
Ovary. One-celled, solitary, simple. Style often lateral. 
Stigma often lateral or peltate. 
uit. Berried or capsular. 
ps. One or few, attached to the bottom of the cell, or 
any, attached to lateral placente. 
Tue Seconpary CHaracrTers. 
‘& Popornyiium. Culyx of three sepals, caducous. Corolla 
_ six—nine-petalled. Stamens numerous, with linear anthers. 
Berry one-celled, crowned with the single stigma. 
Calyx three-leaved, minute. Corolla five-to-nine-petalled. Stigma large, crenate, 
sessile. Berry one-celled, crowned with the stigma, large, many-seeded. Columella 
one-sided. 
Tue Spreciric Cuaracters. 
PoporuyLium re.ratum. Leaves peltate,lobed. Flowers 
one. Stem round, sheathed at base, erect, dividing into two 
round leaf-stalks, between which grows the flower. 
_ Stem terminated with two peltate polinate leaves. Flowers single, inserted in the 
fork formed by the petioles of the leaves. Sometimes the plant is three-leaved, and 
sometimes the flower is inserted on the side of one of the petioles. 
‘Tue Arririctan Cuaracrers. 
Cuass Ponyanpria. Stamens twenty or more arising from 
the receptacle (hypogynous). Orper Monocynta. Ovary 
simple. Calyx three-sepalled. Leaves often peltate. Flower 
solitary. : 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
The May Appx is among our more curious and interest- 
ing plants. It is indigenous, herbaceous, and the only spe- 
cies belonging to the genus. The plant is extensively dif- 
fused throughout the United States, and especially common 
in Western New York. It is, however, everywhere found in 
abundance, on congenial soils, from the State of Maine to 
the Mexican Gulf, and from the Atlantic seacoast to the Ore- 
gon mountains. It grows luxuriantly in moist, shady woods, 
and in low marshy grounds. It is p ‘opagated by its creeping 
root, and is often found in large patches, The flowers appear 
about the end of May and beginning of June, and the fruit 
