256 



Essential Character.— .Mutters monoclinous. Perianthium tubular, superior, eoiourecL 

 membranous, with 6 teeth, the 3 inner of which (petals) are minute, the 3 outer larger, and 

 having a wing or keel at the back. Stamens 3, inserted in the tube opposite the petals ; anther & 

 sessile, 2-celled, opening transversely, with a fleshy connectivum ; sometimes 3 sterile stamens, 

 alternate with them. Ovarium inferior, 3-celled, many-seeded, with the dissepiments alter- 

 nate with the wings of the perianthium ; style single ; stigma 3-lobed. Capsule covered by 

 the withered perianthium, 3-celled, 3-valved, bursting irregularly. Seeds very numerous and 



minute, striated ; embryo — Herbaceous plants, with tufted radical acute leaves, 



a slender nearly naked stem, and terminal flowers, sessile upon a 2- or 3-branched rachis, or 

 solitary. 



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

 referred here by Sprengel and Reichenbach, is not even monocotyledonous P 

 (it belongs to Melastomacese), — was placed by Jussieu in Bromeliaceee ; 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 Hypoxis. Von Martius, who has beau- 

 tifully illustrated the Brazilian species, refers them to Hydrocharideae. To me 

 it seems that they are, upon the whole, nearest Haemodoraceas, with which 

 they agree in their tubular perianthium, 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 monocotyledonous order to which these really approach very 

 closely. See Irideas. 



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. H^EMODORACE^E. The Blood-root Tribe. 



H-emodoracejE, JR. Brown Prodr. 299. (1810); Agardh Aphor. 170. (1823); Von Martius N. 

 Gen. et Sp. PI. Brae. 1. 13. (1824) ; Ach. Rich. Nouv.Elem. 436. (1828.) 



Diagnosis. Hexapetaloideous monocotyledons, with an inferior ovarium, a 

 (woolly) tubular perianthium, the sepals of which are not equitant, and farina- 

 ceous albumen. 



Anomalies. Wachendorfia has a superior ovarium. Some Barbacenias 

 are tripetaloideous. Vellozia has equitant sepals and petals. 



Essential Character. — Calyx and corolla confounded, petaloid, superior, rarely inferior. 

 Stamens arising from the sepals and petals, either 3 and opposite the petals, or 6, or more nu- 

 merous, and polyadelphous ; anthers bursting inwardly. Ovarium v itn the cells 1- 2- or many- 

 seeded ; style simple ; stigma undivided. Fruit capsular, valvular, seldom indehiscent, 

 somewhat nucamentaceous. Seeds either definite or peltate, or indefinite ; testa papery ; em- 

 bryo minute, orthotropous, in farinaceous albumen. — Leaves equitant, or arranged spirally or 

 alternately, usually linear or linear-lanceolate, rarely accrosc. Flouers often showy, the pe- 

 tals and sepals being highly developed. 



Affinities. The principal distinction between these and Amaryllidere con- 

 sists 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 pa- 

 pillose outer surface, and, finally, in the embryo being placed in mealy albumen. 

 From Irideee they are divided by the number of their stamens, by their anthers 



