WILD FLOWERS OF NEW YORK 1 85 



tubers. Leaves opposite, sessile or nearly so, ascending, ovate or elliptical- 

 ovate, pointed at the apex, narrowed or rounded at the base, i to 2 inches 

 long, one-half to i inch wide, with a few scattered hairs on both surfaces, 

 conspicuously three to five-nerved, the margins ciliate-serrulate. Flowers 

 bright purple, i to i^ inches broad, few or several in terminal clusters; 

 calyx-tube urn-shaped, constricted above with four triangular-pointed 

 lobes, and like the stalk of the flower glandular- pubescent ; petals four, 

 broadly obovate; stamens eight, equal; anthers yellow, linear, curved and 

 minutely spurred on the back. Fruit a four-celled, four-valved capsule 

 with numerous small rough, bent seeds. 



In moist, sandy meadows and marshes, Maine to northern New York, 

 Ontario and Iowa, south to Florida, Louisiana and Missouri. Flowering 

 from July to September. Common on the coastal plain, but rare or local 

 inland, except east and north of Oneida lake, where it is very abundant in 

 certain places. 



The Maryland Meadow Beauty (Rhexia mariana Linnaeus) 

 occurs from Long Island southward. It is more densely hairy, the stems 

 are not angled and the leaves are narrower and more spreading. 



