Pennell: Plants of the southern Unitp:d States 97 



Key to the species 



Spathes with margins not connate at base. 



Two posterior petals blue, anterior much smaller, lanceolate, white. Capsule 

 two-celled, four-seeded (no rudiment of third cell). Annual. Stems decum- 

 bent at base, rooting at lower nodes. Leaves lanceolate, 8-12 cm. long. An- 

 thers six. Seeds 3.5-4 mm. long, gray, rugose. i. C. communis. 

 All three petals blue, anterior slightly smaller, ovate. Capsule three-celled, five- 

 seeded (posterior cell one-seeded, indehiscent). Perennials. 

 Roots fibrous. Stems creeping, at least at base, rooting at the nodes. Spathes 

 short-ped uncled, acute to acuminate, 10-35 mm. long, glabrous or nearly 

 so. Posterior petals long-stalked, 6-8 mm. long. Anthers five (pos- 

 terior lacking). 

 Stems soon erect. Leaves lanceolate, 8-10 cm. long. Spathes becoming 

 long-acuminate, 25-35 mm. long. Seeds 2.8-3 mm. long, smooth. 



2. C. caroliniana. 

 Stems extensively creeping. Leaves broadly lanceolate, 3-8 cm. long. 



Spathes acute, 10-25 mm. long. Seeds 2-2.5 mm. long, reticulate. 



3. C. longicaulis. 

 Roots tuberous, clustered. Stems erect, not rooting at the nodes. Spathe 



long-peduncled, caudate, 40-75 mm. long, pubescent. Posterior petals 

 short-stalked, 10-12 mm. long. Anthers six. 4. C. dianthi folia. 



Spathes with margins connate at base. Perennials. Seeds smooth, farinose. 



All three petals blue, equal or nearly so, ovate. Plant strictly erect, relatively 

 stout and broad-leaved. Sheaths ciliate with ferruginous hairs, without evi- 

 dent auricles. Spathes crowded near summit of stem, short-stalked. Two 

 anterior cells of capsule each two-seeded, posterior relatively large but one- 

 seeded and indehiscent. 5. C. iirginica_ 

 Two posterior petals blue, anterior much smaller, white. Plants often lax or 

 slightly decumbent from base, more slender and narrower-leaved. Sheaths 

 ciliate on rounded auricles with white hairs. Spathes more scattered, both 

 near summit of and in axils along stem, longer-stalked. Cells of capsule all 

 one-seeded, posterior normal, dehiscent, becoming reduced, tardily dehiscent, 

 to even obsolete. 

 Leaf-blades lineai -lanceolate to lanceolate, 8-14 cm. long. Posterior petals 

 10-25 mm. long. Seeds somewhat flattened. Roots evidently fleshy. 

 Stems green, erect or somewhat diffuse from the base, but not decumbent 

 and rooting at the nodes. 

 Leaves lanceolate. Posterior petals usually larger, 12-25 mm. long. 

 Seeds mostly more or less oblong. 6. C. erecta. 

 Leaves linear-lanceolate. Posterior petals usually smaller, io-i5(-2o) 

 mm. long. Seeds mostly circular. 

 Spathes 1.5-3 cm. long, with mostly long white hairs near the base. 

 Posterior petals i2-i8(-2o) mm. long. 7- C. crispa. 

 Spathes 1-2 cm. long, rarely with long white hairs near the base. Pos- 

 terior petals mostly 10-15 (-18) mm. long. 8. C. angustifolia. 

 Leaf-blades lanceolate-ovate to ovate, 5-9 cm. long. Posterior petals 8-1 1 

 mm. long. Seeds scarcely flattened. Roots scarcely fleshy. Stems mostly 

 reddish, more or less decumbent at the base and rooting at the lower nodes. 



9. C. elegans. 



