258 



larger, and having a wing or keel at the back. Stamens 3, inserted in the tube opposite 

 the petals ; anthers sessile, 2-celled, opening transversely, with a fleshy connectivum ; 

 sometimes 3 sterile stamens, alternate with them. Ovaruim inferior, 3-ceUed, many- 

 seeded, with the dissepiments alternate with the wings of the perianthium; sti/le single; 

 stigma 3-lobed. Capsule covered by the withered perianthium, 3-celled, 3-valved, burst- 

 ing irregularly. Seeds very numerous and minute, striated ; embryo — 



Herbaceous plants, with tufted radical acute leaves, a slender nearly naked stem, and ter- 

 minal flowers, sessile upon a 2- or 3-branched rachis, or solitary. 



Affinities. The single genus upon which this is founded, — for Sone- 

 rila, referred here by Sprengel and Reichenbach, is not even monocotyle- 

 donous ! (it belongs to MelastomaceEe), — was placed by Jussieu in Brome- 

 liaceae ; Mr. Brown stationed it as a doubtful genus at the end of Junceae, 

 with the remark, that it is extremely distinct both in flower, fruit, and 

 inflorescence, and not really allied to any other known plant, but more 

 nearly related to Xyris and Philydrum than to either Bromelia or Hy- 

 poxis. Von Martius, who has beautifully illustrated the Brazilian species, 

 refers them to Hydrocharidece. To me it seems that they are, upon the 

 whole, nearest Hsemodoracese, with which they agree in their tubular peri- 

 anthium, in having the stamens reduced to three and opposite the petals, 

 a much enlarged connectivum, the ovarium inferior, and some resemblance 

 in foliage and habit. It is, however, certain that there is no known mono- 

 cotyledonous order to which these really approach very closely. See 

 Iridece. 



Geography. Natives of the tropics of Asia, Africa, and America. 

 The plants called Tripterella by North American botanists are found as far 

 to the north as Virginia. 



Properties. Unknown. 



Examples. Burmannia (Tripterella Mich.), Maburnia. 



CCXXXVII. HTEMODORACEiE. The Blood-root Tribe. 



H^MODORACE^., R. Brown Prodr. 299. (1810); Agardh Aphor. 170. (1823); Von Mar- 

 tins N. Gen. et Sp. PI. Braz. 1. 13. (1824) ; Ach. Rich. Nouv. Elim. 436. (1828.) 



Diagnosis. Hexapetaloideous monocotyledons, with an inferior ova- 

 rium, a (woolly) tubular perianthium, the sepals of which are not equitant, 

 and farinaceous albumen. 



Anomalies. Wachendorfia has a superior ovarium. Some Barbacenias 

 are tripetaloideous. Vellozia has equitant sepals and petals. 



Essential Character — Caly.v and corolla confounded, petaloid, superior, rarely 

 inferior. Stamens arising from the sepals and petals, either 3 and opposite the 

 petals, or 6, or more numerous, and polyadelphous; anthers bursting inwardly. Ova- 

 rium with the cells 1- 2- or many-seeded ; style simple; stiyma undivided. Fruit 

 capsular, valvular, seldom indehiscent, somewhat nucamentaceous. Seeds either definite 

 and peltate, or indefinite; testa papery; embryo minute, orthotropous, in farinaceous 

 albumen — Leaves equitant, or arranged spirally or alternately, usually linear or linear- 

 lanceolate, rarely acerose. Floivcrs often showy, the petals and sepals being highly- 

 developed. 



Affinities. The principal distinction between these and Amaryllideae 

 consists in their perianthium not having the regular equitant position of 

 sepals and petals which is found in the latter, in their peculiar Iris-like or 

 Bromelia-like habit, in the regularity of their flowers, which have frequently 

 a woolly or papillose outer surface, and, finally, in the embryo being placed 

 in mealy albumen. From Irideae they are divided by the number of their 



