558 CLV. MELANTHACE^. Helonias. 



very slender, grass-like species, in woods, Western States. Stem 3f high, solid, 

 erect, with a virgate, thin panicle of greenish-white flowers. Leaves 1 — 2f by 

 2 — 3", half-clasping. Panicle l§f long, the lateral racemes 1 — 3', the terminal 

 one much longer ; pedicels shorter than the flowers, each with a very minute 

 bract. Jime, July. 



4. A M I A N T H I U M. A. Gr. 



Ch'. a^iavTOS, pure, immaculate ; av^o; ; alluding to the white flowers. 



Flowers $ ; perianth segments scarcely united at base, petaloid, 

 spreading, sessile and without glands; stam. 6, inserted with the 

 segments ; anthers reniform ; ovaries 3, more or less united ; caps. 

 3-lobed, 3-partible ; carpels follicular, 1 — 4-seeded ; testa of the seeds 

 loose, at length fleshy. — Herbs with scapiform stems, grass-like leaves 

 a7id numerous white Jlowers. 



A. MusciTOxicuM. Gray. (Melanthium. Walt. Helonias erythrosperma. 



Michx.) Fly-poison. — St. bulbous; Ivs. flat, lower broad-linear, obtuse, 

 upper reduced to bracts; roc. simple ; segments oblong, obtu.se ; pedicels filiform; 

 carpels distinct above ; sty. divergent ; seeds ovoid, red. — Shady swamps, N. J., 

 Penn. and Southern States. Stem 1 — 2f high. Leaves mostly radical, about 

 If long. Raceme 3 — 9' long, dense-flowered, pedicels 6 — 9" long. Peri- 

 anth and stamens white, the latter rather the longest. Carpels united only at 

 base, the summits horn-like and diverging. Seeds rather large, scarlet-red 

 when ripe. June, July. 



2. A. LEiMANTHoiDEs. Gray. 



Rt. fibrous ; Ivs. linear, flat ; panicle simple, terminal raceme elongated ; 

 segments of the perianth broad-oval, longer than the linear styles ; sds. winged 

 at the apex, lanceolate, compressed. — N. J. to La. Stem roundish, 2 — 4f high, 

 the lower leaves about half as long, pale green, acute. Flowers white, on fili- 

 form pedicels, finally recurved. Segments of the perianth obtuse, a little shorter 

 than the capillary filaments. July. 



5. XEROPHYLLUM. 



Or. ^ipos, dry, ^uXXoj/, leaf 



Flowers ? ; leaflets of the perianth oval, spreading, petaloid, sessile 

 and without glands ; stam. 6 ; filaments dilated and contiguous at 

 base ; ovary subglobose ; styles 3, linear, revolute ; caps, subglobose, 

 3-lobed, 3-celled, cells 2-seeded. — Herbs icith numerous dry, setaceous 

 leaves. Racemes simple, with white, showy flowers. 



X. ASPHODELoiDEs. Nutt. (X. sctifolium. Michz. Helonias asph. Linn.') 

 Lvs. radical and cauline, rigid, diminishing above ; pedicels with 2 alter- 

 nate bracteoles, bractless at base ; filaments at length equaling the segments of 

 the perianth. — Sandy plains, N. J. to Car. Stem 3 — 5f high, very leafy. Radi- 

 cal leaves If long, very narrow, crowded and csespitose. Flowers in a long, 

 terminal raceme, numerous, small. Sepals and petals obtuse, the latter a little 

 longer. June. 



6. HELONIAS. 



Gr. tXof, a marsh; where some species grow. 



Perianth 6-parted, spreading, petaloid, the segments sessile, and 

 without glands ; styles 3, distinct ; capsule 3-celled, 3-horned ; cells 

 many-seeded. — Lvs. mostly radical, narroiv, often gramineous, sheathing 

 at base. Fls. in a terminal, simple raceme. 

 1. H. BCLLATA. (H. latifolia. Ph.) 



Lvs. crowded, mostly radical, linear-spatulate, mucronate ; scape simple, 

 hollow, with few remote bracts, or naked ; rac. spicate, ovoid-cylindric, dense ; 

 anth. blue.— N. J., Penn. to Va. Scape 10—18' high, rather thick and fleshy. 

 Leaves about as long as the scape, 1 — U' wide. Racemes short. Pedicels as 

 long as the flowers, colored. Flowers purple, segments obtuse. May. 



