540 CXLVIII. HiEMODOHACE^. Lophiola. 



mass" ol leaves, to the height of 15 — 251', bearing a pyramidal panicle. Flowers 

 yellow. There is a variety with striped leaves. 



5. HYPOXIS. 



Gt. vJtoj, under, o|vs, sharp; on account of the pointed base of the fruit. 



Spathe 2-leave(l ; perianth persistent ; capsule elongated, narrowed 

 at the base ; seeds numerous, roundish, with a black, crustaceous in- 

 tegument. — Small, bulbous, grass-like ■plants, with yellow jiowers. Lvs. 

 radical, linear. 



H. ERECTA. Star-grass. 



Pilose ; scape about 4-flowered, shorter than the linear-lanceolate leaves. 

 — In woods and meadows, Can. and U. S. Leaves all radical, 6 — 12' by 3 — 5", 

 very acute. The slender, hairy scapes, several from the same root, arise 6 — 8', 

 divided at top into a sort of umbel with 3 — 5 peduncles having each a minute, 

 subulate spathe at the base. Perianth hairy and greenish without, yellow 

 within ; segments oval, rather obtuse. June. 



Order CXLVIII. H^EMODORACE^.— Bloodroots. 



Herts with fibrous, perennial roots and perfect flowers. , ,• , • , 



iTS. permanent, ensiform, eciuitant, usually in 2 ranks. . . ,, [cyUndricai tube. 



Perianth more or less woolly, adherent, the sepals anil petals often indistmguishable, and united mto a 



Sta. arising from the perianth, either 3 and opposite the sepals, or 6. 



Ova. 1 or 3-celled, cells l, 2, or many-ovuled. Stij. and stig. simple. . 



Ft —Capsule covered with the withered perianth, valvular, seldom mdehiscent. 



Sds. definite or indefinite. Fitnbri/o short, straight, in cartilaginous albumen. 



Genera 13, species 50, sparingly occurring in N. America, S. Africa, New Holland, &c. The root of 

 Lacnanthes tinctoria abounds in a red coloring matter. One of the most intense bitters known is Aletris 

 farinosa. ^ , „ , , ^ 



Conspectus of the Genera. 



(3 hacnanOies. 1 



< K Perianth woolly, 6-parted. Lophiola. 2 

 Stamens C 6. i Perianth mealy, 6-toothed. Aletris. 3 



1. LACNANTHES. Elliot. 



Gr. \a)(^iii], soft hair, av^oi ; in allusion to the woolly corollas. 



Perianth woolly, tube adherent ; calyx lobes exterior, of 3 linear 

 sepals, as long as the 3 lanee-oblong petals ; stam. 3, equaling the 

 sepals, and opposite to them ; stig. minutely 2-lobed ; caps. 3-celled, 

 truncated, many-seeded. — Lvs. lanceolate-linear. Fls. corymbose. 

 L. TINCTORIA. Ell. (Dilatris. Pursh.) Red-root. 



Swamps and borders of ponds, R. I., Ohiey! N. .T. to Plor. An interest- 

 ing plant, v/ith rush-like leaves. Stem erect, strict, 18—24' high, clothed with 

 white wool above. Leaves mostly radical, fleshy, 3 — 4" wide and nearly as 

 high as the stem. Cauline leaves remote and bract-like. Corymb terminal, 

 close, 15— 30-flowered. Flowers densely clothed with white wool outside, gla- 

 brous and yellow within. Anthers bright yellow. Jl.— The root is said to be 

 employed in dyeing. 



2. L O P H I C L A. Ker. 

 Gr. Xotpos, a crest ;■ alluding to the crested petals. 



Perianth half superior, 6-cleft, persistent, woolly ; petals narrower 

 than the sepals, somewhat interior ; sta. 6 ; filament naked ; anthers 

 erect : style conical, 3-partible ; stigma simple ; capsule opening at 

 the summit, 3-celled, 3-valved, many-seeded. — Lvs. cjisiform. Fls. 

 corymbose. 



L. Americana. "Wood. (L. aurea. Ker. Conostyles. Br.) Golden Crest- 



y^wycr.— Sandy swamps, pine barrens, N. J. Stem 1— 2f high, erect, 



hoary-tomentose when young. Leaves glaucous, narrowly linear, two-edged, 



glabrous, the lower and radical long, cauline 2 or 3, shorter. Corymb finally 



much expanded, many-flowered. Corolla woolly and yellow within, segments 



