Tecoma. LXXXVIII. BIGNONIACEiE. 393 



4 — 5-lobed ; ovary seated in a fleshy disk ; capsule ovoid, acute, 1- 

 celled, 2-valvcd, many-seeded. — 4 Sfcms mostly simple. 



1. O. uniklOra. (O. billora. Null.) One-Jlavercd Droomrnpc. 



Scapes in pairs, naKCil, each 1-floworcd. — A small, leafless nlant, with the 

 general aspect of a Monolropa, found in woods and thickets, Can. and U. S. 

 Root short, thick, smooth, .scaly, surmounted hy a stem not exceeding i' in length. 

 This divides at its top, generally into 2, seape-like, erect, round, simple, naked 

 peduncles 4—5' high, downy, purplish-white, with a nodding tlower at the top, 

 of the same hue. A dozen or more such flower stalks are often found clustered 

 together. June, July. 



2. O. Amkrr ANA. American Droomrape. 



St. simple, covered with oval-lanceolate, imbricated .scales ; spike smooth, 

 terminal ; corotla recurved ; sla. ex.sert. — Woods, Can. to Ga. and La. Stem 

 very thick, 4—6' high, very smooth, brownish-yellow, leafless, closely imbri- 

 cated with pale, polished, oval .scales. The spikes are dense. Bracts pale and 

 smooth like the scales of the stem. Corolla tubular, bent downwards, the upper 

 lip vaulted, yellow. Calyx irregularly divided into jagged segments, with 2 

 bracts at base. July. 



2. EPIPHEGUS. Nutt. 

 Gr. £Trj, upon, (hriyvi, the beech ; being supposed parasitical on the roots of that tree. 



Mouoeciously polygaraous ;' calyx abbreviated, 5-toothed. (^ Co- 

 rolla ringent, compressed, 4-cleft, lower lip flat. 9 Corolla minute, 

 4-toothed, deciduous; capsule truncate, oblique, 1 -celled, 2-valved, 

 opening only on one side. — % icith virgate, simple branches which are 

 floriferous their whole length. 



E. ViRGiNiANUs. Eaton. (E. Americanus. Nutt and \st edit.) Beech-drops. 



St. branched, leafless ; fls. remote, alternate ; cor. 4-toothed, deciduous.- 

 This is said to be a parasitic plant growing from the roots of beech trees. 

 Woods, Can. to Car. and Ky. Root a scaly ball covered with stifl?; short and 

 brittle radicles. Stem a foot high, with slender and irregular branches given 

 off the whole length of it. Instead of leaves it has only a few small, ovate scales, 

 one at the base of each branch. Flowers alternately scattered on each branch, 

 the upper ones barren, with recurved corollas, brownish-white, with darker 

 stripes above. Fertile ones smaller, deciduous. The whole plant is of a dull 

 red color. Aug. Sept. 



Order LXXXVIII. BIGNONIACE^.— Bignoniads. 



Trees, skrvbs, or rarelv herbs, often cUmbing or twining. 

 Lvs. opposite, either simple or compound, without stipules. 

 Fl8 terminiii. Cat. divided or entire, sometimes spathaceous. 

 Coi:— Tube broad, with ;xn irregular, Slobed or bilal)i:ite limb. 

 Sta. 5, 1 or 3 sterile, often didynamous. Anthers '2-cellctl. 

 Ova. 2-celled, seated in a fleshy disk. Style \. Stigma of 2 plates. 

 Fr.— Capsule coriaceous, 1— s-celled, 2-valved, many-seeded. 

 Sds. generally winged, destitute of albumen. 



Genera 44 species 450. mostly Xorth American. Others are diffused in all countries, particularly within 

 the tropics. Several of the Brazilian species of Bignonia aflbrd a valuable Umber. But this order is best 

 known for the beauty of its flowers. 



Genera. 



Calyx 5-toothed. Stamens 4, fertile. . Climbing shrubs. . Tecoma. I 



Caiy.x 2-parted. Stamens 2 fertile, with 2 or three abortive. Trees Latalpa. 2 



1. TECOMA. Juss. 

 Calyx campanulate, 5-toothed ; cor. tube short, throat dilated, limb 

 5-lobed. subbilabiated or equal ; sta. 4, didynamous, with the rudi- 

 ment of a fifth ; anth. cells 2, diverging ; caps. 2-celled, 2-valved : 

 seeds winged. — Trees or shrubs^ often climbing. Lvs. opposite, digitate 

 or iinequally pinnate. 



