49 



MELANTHACEAE. 



VOL. I. 



i. Stenanthium gramineum (Ker) Morong. Grass-leaved Stenanthium. 



Fig. 1228. 



Helonias graminea Ker, Bot. Mag. pi. 1599. 1813. 



Veratrum angustifolium Pursh, Fl. Am. Sept. 242. 

 1814. 



Stenanthium angustifolium Kunth, Enum. 4: 190. 

 1843. 



Stenanthium gramineum Morong, Mem. Torr. 

 Club 5 : 1 10. 1894. 



Stem slender, 3-4 tall. Leaves grass-like, 

 some of them often i long or more, 2"-$" 

 wide, the upper, reduced to small linear lanceo- 

 late bracts subtending the branches of the 

 panicle; panicle open, simple or somewhat 

 compound, i-2 long, its branches nearly fili- 

 form, often flexuous, spreading or drooping; 

 bracts \"-\" long, equalling or longer than the 

 pedicels; flowers 4" -6" broad; perianth-seg- 

 ments linear-lanceolate; capsule ovoid-oblong, 

 with a top-shaped base, 3 "-4" long, reflexed. 



In dry soil, Virginia to Kentucky, Missouri, 

 Florida .and Alabama. Ascends to 6000 ft. in 

 North Carolina. Fruit apparently scarce. Aug.- 

 Sept. 



2. Stenanthium robustum S. Wats. 

 Stout Stenanthium. Fig. 1229. 



Stenanthium robnstum S. Wats. Proc. Am. Acad. 

 14: 278. 1879. 



Stems stout, 3-5 tall, usually very leafy. 

 Leaves often i long or more, the lower 4"-io" 

 wide, the upper reduced to bracts ; panicle 

 denser than that of the preceding species, com- 

 monly longer, usually compound, its branches 

 spreading or ascending; flowers greenish or 

 white, 6"-8" broad ; capsule ovoid-oblong, 

 4"-6" long, erect, longer than its pedicel, the 

 very short beaks recurved-spreading. 



In moist soil, Pennsylvania and Ohio to South 

 Carolina, Tennessee and Missouri. July-Sept. 

 Apparently distinct from the preceding species, 

 though closely related. 



9. ZYGADENUS Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. i: 213. 1803. 



A glabrous erect perennial herb with a thick rootstock and a leafy stem. Leaves nar- 

 nowly linear. Flowers perfect, white, in a terminal panicle. Perianth withering-persistent, 

 its segments lanceolate, separate, bearing 2 glands just above the narrowed base. Stamens free 

 from the perianth segments and about equalling them in length; anthers cordate or reniforrn. 

 Capsule 3-lobed, 3-celled, the cavities not diverging, dehiscent to the base. Seeds numerous in 

 each cavity, oblong or linear, angled. [Greek, referring to the two glands.] 



A monotypic genus of southeastern North America. 



