174 BALSAMINACEAE. 



or the longer ones pubescent. Capsules elongate, erect. — SouRGRASS. Yellow 



WOOD-SORREL. 



Pedicels appressed-pubescent. 



Longer filaments glabrous. 1. X. stricta. 



Longer filaments pubescent. 



Cymes typically 1-flowered : leaves numerous ; leaflets 



small, 4-8 mm. wide. 2. X. fllipes. 



Cymes typically several-flowered : leaves few ; leaflets 



large, 10-16 mm. wide. 3. X. Brittoniae. 



Pedicels loosely pubescent. 4. X. cymosa. 



1. X. stricta (L.) Small. Stems sometimes tufted: leaflets glabrous or with 

 scattered hairs: sepals oblong to linear-lanceolate, sparingly ciliate, and more 

 or less pubescent on the back: petals pale-yellow: capsules 16-30 cm. long. — 

 Bather common, on banks and in fields and waste places. — Spr. and sum. 



2. X. filipes Small. Stems usually tufted on the slender rootstock: leaves 

 mostly clustered, usually irregularly so; blades of the leaflets mainly 4-8 mm. 

 wide, glabrous or sparingly pubescent: sepals lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate: 

 petals 5-9 mm. long, light-yellow: capsules slender, 8-12 mm. long. — S. 

 Bare, on the islands and shores of the Susquehanna. — Schists. — Spr. and sum. 



3. X. Brittoniae Small. Stems 1-4 dm. tall, loosely pubescent: leaves not 

 clustered; blades of the leaflets 10-16 mm. wide: cymes diehotomous when well 

 developed: sepals 3.5-5.5 mm. long, ciliate all around: petals .5-10 mm. long, 

 bright-yellow: capsules 7-12 mm. long. — S. Frequent, on banks. — Schists. 

 — Sum. 



4. X. cymosa Small. Stems 2-11 dm. tall, loosely pubescent: leaflets 10-27 

 mm. wide: cymes diehotomous: sepals 3-4 mm. long: petals 7-10 mm. long, 

 deep-yellow : filaments glabrous : capsules slender. — Common, in thickets, cul- 

 tivated ground and waste places. — Sum. 



Family 4. BALSAMINACEAE, Jewel-weed Family. 



Herbs with succulent tissues. Leaves mostly alternate : blades simple. 

 Flowers perfect, irregular. Calyx of 3 sepals (2 obsolete), the posterior 

 one petaloid, saccate and spurred, all deciduous. Corolla of 5 petals, the 

 lateral pair on each side united. Receptacle glandless. Androecium of 5 

 stamens : filaments appendaged and partially united. Gynoecium of 5 

 united carpels. Styles very short or wanting. Fruit an elastically burst- 

 ing capsule. 



1. IMPATIENS [Bivinius] L. Herbs with stems enlarged at the nodes. 

 Capsules drooping. — Sum. and fall. — Touch-me-not. 



Flowers in peduncled panicles : outer sepals broad : capsules elongate, glabrous. 

 Spur incurved, % as long as the sac, or more : sac longer than broad. 



1. /. hiflora. 

 Spur at right angles to the sac, Vi as long as the sac, or less : 



sac as broad as long. 2. /. pallida. 



Flowers in sessile clusters : outer sepals narrow : capsules short, 



pubescent. 3. I. Balsamina. 



1. I. biflora Walt. Plants 1-2 dm. tall : leaf -blades ovate to elliptic, 2-12 cm. 

 long, deep-green: sepals, and petals, orange, the saccate sepal conic, longer 

 than wide. — Common, in swamps and on banks of spring-runs. 



2. I. pallida Nutt. Similar to I. hiflora in habit, the foliage paler: sepals, and 

 petals, yellow, the saccate sepal cup-like, about as vride as long. — Not as 

 common as No. 1, on rich shaded hillsides. 



3. I. Balsamina L. Plants 3-6 dm. tall, the stem succulent, finely pubescent: 

 leaf-blades oval or oblong to elliptie-spatulate, those of the upper leaves larger 



