No. 20. 025PHAI.ANTHUS. lOi 



inches long, oval, base acute, end acuminate, margin 

 often undulate, smooth on both sides, but glaucous 

 beneath, nerves often red, veins yellow. 



Flowers terminal peduncled, forming round balls 

 of a cream white color, and sweet scented, fringed 

 all over by the protruding Stamina and styles, nearly 

 as large as a walnut Phoranthe or common recepta- 

 cle globular and hairy, flowers crowded all over it. 

 Calix coherent with the pistil, with four small 

 acute teeth — Corolla inserted on the Pistil, tubular or 

 nearly funnel form, with four ovate segments. Sta- 

 mina and style filiform, double the length of the Co- 

 rolla, anthers and stigma yellow— Capsuls small, 

 cl-owded, formed by two semibivalve cells, the valves 

 opposite to each other, the two outside valves angular, 

 each cell has only one seed. 



Locality — All over the United States from Cana- 

 cU to Louisiana, Missouri and Florida j mostly found 

 near streams, ponds, swamps, lakes, &.c. 

 " HISTORY — Cephalanthus means head-flower in 

 Greek, alluding to the globular form of the blossoms. 

 Linneus only knew this species, and gave to it the 

 name of occidental. It is peculiar to North America ; 

 the satne kind said to be found in Cochinchina is i 

 different species ; but there are several varieties in 

 the United States, not yet well noticed, some of 

 which may be perhaps peculiar species ; such are ^ 



Var. puhesctns, with pubescent leaves, in Georgia, 



Var. macrophylla, with large leaves half a foot 

 lonf^, corolla hairy inside : in Louisiana, &c- 



