1 



No. 93. UNISEMA, lOr 



with a variegated petiole and a terminal dense spike, 

 with a membranaceous oblong obtuse vagina below the 

 base, thus almost resembing- a spatha and spadis. These 

 flowers are blue, with a yellowish white spot on the 

 lower lip, and blossonl in summer from June to August- 

 They are fine ornamental plants, but scentless j the 

 seeds, which resemble those of some grasses, are white, 

 oblong obtuse, farinaceous, with a central cylindrical 

 embryo ; they germinate only under water, and when 

 fresh. I have already noticed as many as 9 species. 



1. Sp. Unisema deltifoUa. Raf. Radical leaves, per- 

 fectly oblong deltoid or shovelform, base acute, end ob- 

 tuse ; stem leaf oblong deltoid, undulate, base subreni- 

 form, lobes rounded : spike elongated, segments of the 

 flower oval obtuse. In west Kentucky, Tennessee, 

 Alabama, &.c. Stem about three feet high, leaves 5 to 

 8 inches long, spike 3 inches. 



2. Sp. U, piirshiana. Raf. {P. angustifolia of Pursh.) 

 Leaves elongated triangular, base truncate subcordate. 

 tnd acute. Segments of the flower linear lanceolate. 

 In the Southern States. , 



3. Sp. U, media. Raf. Leaves oblong cordate, base 

 cordate, end obtuse ; stem leaf consimilar, spike cylin- 

 drical, segments of the flower oblong obtuse. From New 

 York to Carolina. Var. 1. Mbiflora* 2. Angustifolia. 



4. Sp- U. obliqiiata. Raf. Leaves more or less oblique, 

 with unequal sides; radical oblong deltoid, base sub- 

 hastate, end obtuse t stem leaf cordate oblong : spike 

 short oblong, segments of the flowers linear obtuse. In 

 New Jersey and Virginia. About 2 feet high. 



5. Sp. If. latifoUa. Raf. Leaves broad cordate, very 

 obtuse, spike cylindrical, elongated, segments of the 

 flower oval. Very common, chiefly in the Southern 

 States. Stem 3 to 5 feet hi^h. Var. 1. Elatior. 2. Un- 

 dulata. 3. Slhijlora. 4. Pallida, 



6. Sp- U. acutifoUa* Raf. (figured in Lamark lllustr. 

 as P cordata,) Leaves cordate acute, spike cylindrical, 

 segments of the flowers oval oblong. Found by Bose in 

 Carolina ; I have never seen it. 



7. Sp. U. mucronata. Raf. 1807- Leaves narrow ob- 

 long, base broader cordate, end\vith a long obtuse point: 



