34 MENYANTHES. . No. 63. 



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stigma bifid, capsule ovate, one celled, bivalve, seeds 

 numerous, inserted on the valves. 



Sp. Meriyanthes verna, Raf. Radical leaves friparted, 

 segments oblong obovate, obtuse, erose, scapes o'ace- 

 mose, longer than the leaves, raceme conical, bracts 

 ovate, concave, shorter than the peduncles, corolla fring- 

 ed at the base, not ciliated. 



DESCRIPTION. Root perennial, creeping, jointed, 

 leaves and scapes proceeding from the joints, sheathed 

 at the base bj broad, oblong, obtuse stipules, leaves on 

 long terete petioles, cut up into three deep segments or 

 folioles, sessile, oblong, oboval, obtuse, somewhat repand 

 or erose on the margin, thick and glabrous, scape as- 

 cending, terete smooth, about a foot high, bearing a co- 

 nical raceme of flowers. Peduncles scattered, streight 

 axillary to shorter bracts, ovate, obtuse, concave, calix 

 subcampansitate, five parted, acute; corolla white, with 

 a red tinge, a short tube, five oval acute segments, 

 spreading or revolute, fringed at the base above, by ob- 

 tuse fibres, five short erect stamens, anthers sagittate, 

 germ ovate, style terete, persistent, stigma compressed 

 and bifid, capsule with two valves, bearing numerous 



minute seeds in lateral receptadres. __ 



HISTORY. This plant is common to the north of 

 the two continents. The American plant, figured here, 

 is confined to the North, in Canada, New England, New- 

 York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, but it spreads in the 

 mountains as far South as Virginia, It forms a peculiar 

 species called variety Minor, by Michaux and Bigelow, 

 which is well distinguished from the M. trifoliala of 

 Europe, of which the characters are : 



M. trifoHaia. L. Leaves triparted, segments oval, 

 obtuse, repand, scapes racemose, shorter than the 

 leaves, raceme slender, bracts lanceolate acute, co- 

 rolla ciliated and fringed all over above ; flowers 

 rose colour, blossoming m summer. It is a beautiful 

 plant, growing in or near marshes, bogs, ponds, and 

 brooks, blossoming in April and May, The generic 

 name means Moonflower ; it is one of the shamrocks, 

 vegetable emblems of Ireland. 



. v^^^^.u^^^^- T^^^^^ stomachic, febrifuge, pur- 

 gative, asthntic, antipsoric, diaphoretic, anthelmintic, 



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