Lkptanthis. CLIV. PONTEDERlACEiE. 556 



Tribe 6. ASPARAGEJ?:.— Stem usually lully developed, or if not, the leaves 



are coriaceous and permanent. 



IG. ASPARAGUS. 



Gr. imapacaa), to fear; some of the species ure urmed with stronj? prirklen. 



Perianth 6-parted, erect ; ovary turbinate ; stamens erect ; style 

 very short ; stigmas 3 ; berry 3-celled, cells 2-seeded. 



A. omciXAMs. Asjiardf^ns. 



Sf. herbaceous, unarmeil, very branchinf^, erect; Irs. setaceous, flexible, 

 fasciculate. — 2]. Native of Enjjland," and other parts of Europe, naturalized on 

 rocky .shores. Stem 2— 4f high. Leaves liiiform, J — li' long, pale pea-green. 

 Flowers axillary, .solitary or in pairs. Berries globose, red. It is one of the 

 oldest and most delicate of culinary vegetal)les, was no less praised in ancient 

 Rotne, by Pliny, Cato and other writers, than at the present day. Diuretic. Jl. 



Order CLIV. PONTEDERACE^.— Pontederads. 



Plants aquntir or marsh. Lvs. sheathing, parallel-veined, mostly cordate or dilated at base. 



Inflorescence various, ot'ten spathaceous. 



Perianth tubular. i-olore<l, 6i)arted, often irregular, circinatc in a.'stivation. 



87a. 3 or 6, unequal, pcriirynous. 



Ova. free or sometimes adherent to the perianth at base, 3-celled. Style 1. Stig. simple. 



F?-.— Capsule 3 (sometimes D-celled, 3-valved, with loculicidal dehiscence. 



Seeds numerous (sometimes solitary), attached to a central axis. Albumen farinaceous. 



Geneni 6, species 30, found e.xclusively in America, E. Indies and Trojjical Africa. They are of no 

 known use. 



Conspecttis of the Genera. 



< solitary Leptanthiia. 2 



< equal, i 2— 4 together in a spathe Ileteranthera. 3 



Flowers (unequal, in a terminal spike Pontederia. 1 



1. PONTEDERIA. 



In honor of Julius Pontedera, a botanic author and professor, of Padua, about 1V20. 



Perianth bilabiate, tubular at base, under side of the tube perfo- 

 rated with 3 longitudinal clefts, the lower part persistent : stamens 

 unequally inserted, 3 near the base and 3 at the summit of the tube ; 

 utricle 1 -seeded. — Fh. Um^ mostly spicate. 



P. coRDATA. Pickerel-weed. 



Lis. subradical, cordate-oblong; Jls. spiked.— 7]. Can. and U. S. A fine 

 conspicuous plant, native of the borders of muddy lakes, &c., growing in patches 

 extending from the .shores to deep water. Stem thick, round, erect, ari.sing 

 1 — 2f above the water, bearing a single leaf. Leaves 4 — 1' by li — 3', very 

 smooth and glossy, almost sagittate, with veins beautifully arranged to conform 

 to the margin. Flowers in a spike, arising above the spathe, very irregular. 

 Perianth 2-lipped, each lip 3-clelt, always blue, appearing in July. 

 /?. angvstifolia. Torr. Lvs. narrow, trimcate and subcordate at base, 



2. LEPTANTHUS. Michx. 



Gr. \eirTog, slender, av^os] in reference to the long tube of the perianth. 



Spathe 1 -flowered; tube of the perianth very long and slender, 

 limb 6-parted, equal ; anthers of 2 forms ; capsule 1 -celled, many- 

 seeded. — Lvs. alternate, sheathing at base. 



L. GRAMixEA. Vahl. (SchoUera graminea. Schrcl).) 



S!. floating, rooting at the lower joints ; lvs. linear.— A grass-like aquatic, 

 in flowing water, Northern States. Stem slender, dichotomous, 1 — 2f long. 

 Leaves 3 — f/ long, 1 — 2" wide, obtuse at apex, slightly sheathing at ba.se. 

 Flower .solitary, issuing from a short (I') spathe. Tube Ih' long, limb in 6, 

 linear-lanceolate segments, vellow. Stamens 3 Qi, authflrs); filaments broad, 

 one of lliem abortive, the o'ther 2 with linear anthers longer than the thick 

 St vie. Jl. Aug. 



47* 



