^ 



MELANTHACE^— BUNCH-FLOWER 



FAMILY 



LARGE-FLOWERED BELLWORT. PERFOLIATE 



BELLWORT 



Uvtddria grandiflora 



Umildria, from uvula, a palate, in allusion to the hang- 

 ing flowers. 



An erect, forked herb, perennial by rootstocks. Rich 

 open woods. New England to Minnesota, south to 

 Georgia and Tennessee. Frequent in northern Ohio. 

 April, May. 



Rootstock. — Short, with fleshy roots. 



Stem. — Leafy, smooth, pale green, terete, one to two 

 feet high, forked above the middle, bearing solitary ter- 

 minal flowers, and usually a single leaf below the fork. 



Leaves. — Alternate, oblong or ovate-lanceolate, acute 

 at the apex, smooth-margined, perfoliate, parallel-veined, 

 two to four inches long, pubescent beneath. 



Flowers. — Yellow, lily-like, drooping, solitary, often 

 hidden by the leaves, rarely two together, fragrant. 



Perianth. — Sepals and petals indistinguishable, six in 

 number, an inch to an inch and a half long, lanceolate, 

 pointed at apex, smooth within, nectar-bearing. 



Stamens. — Six, short, slightly adhering to the base of 

 the perianth segments, longer than the styles; anthers 

 linear, opening laterally. 



Pistil. — One; ovary three-lobed, three- celled; style 

 three-cleft. 



lO 



