CANNACF-yE. (CANNA FAMILY.) 465 



Orrer 143. CANNA CE^. (Canxa Family.) 



Perennial herbs, dostituto. of aroma, with alternate sheathing leaves, 

 the very numerous nerves parallel, and diverging from the stron<' midrib, 

 and superior irregular monandrous llowers. Sepals 3. Corolla (J-parted ; 

 the three exterior divisions alike ; the three interior ones very unequal, 

 and often variously imperfect. Stamen and stigma mostly petal-like. 

 Anther 1-celIed. Ovary 1 - 3-celled, with 1 - many anatropous or cam- 

 pylotropous ovules. Embryo straight or hooked, in hard albumen. — Klii- 

 zoma often tuberous, and abounding in starch. 



1. THALIA, L. 



Calyx minute. Corolla tubular ; the three exterior divisions similar and equal ; 

 the interior unequal ; the anterior one broad and hooded, the interior lateral one 

 elon-gated and clawed, the exterior lateral one furnished with two bristles on one 

 side, and partly adnate to the slender stamen on the other. Style thick, spiral : 

 stigma perforated, 2-lippcd, the lower lip long and pendent. Capsule utricular, 

 I-cellcd, 1-secded. Seed ovoid, erect, campylotropous. Embryo hooked, in 

 hard albumen — Stemk'ss herbs from fibrous roots. Scape clon^'atcd. Petioles 

 terete, dilated and sheathing at tlie base. Flowers in bracted paniclcd spikes, 

 commonly two together, and included in a 2-vaIved spathe. 



1. T. dealbata, Koscoe. Plant dusted over with a minute white powder, 

 other\vise sinootli ; leaves distichous, long-petioled, cordate-ovate, acute ; scape 

 terete, reed-like ; panicle erect, dense, smooth, the branches not longer than the 

 lanceolate deciduous bracts at tlieir base ; spikes erect ; valves of the spathe 

 unecjuul, ovate, coriaceous ; flowers small, purple. — Ponds and marslics. South 

 Carolina, and westward. June -Sept. — Scape 3° -5° high. Leaves 6' -9' 

 long, on petioles 1° - 2° long. 



2. T. divaricata, n. sp. Plant not powdery ; leaves oblong-ovatc, acute, 

 rounded at the base, long-petioled ; panicle large, divaricate, the liranchcs much 

 longer than the linear deciduous bracts, hairy at the joints; sjjikcs 6- 10-flow- 

 ered, zigzag, pendulous ; valves of the spathe unequal, oblong, membranaceous, 

 hairy; flowers small, purple, seed ovoid, enclosed in a loose membranaceous 

 pericarp. — Ponds, Apalachicola, Florida. Sept. and Oct. — Scape 5° -10" 

 high. Leaves l°-2° long. Panicle 2° -4° wide, purplish. 



2. CANNA, L. Indian-Shot. 



Sepals 3. Corolla 6-parted ; the three exterior divisions equal ; the interior 

 bilabiate, with the upper lip 2-3-parted, or sometimes wanting, tlie lower entire. 

 Filaments petal-like. Anther marginal. Ovary 3-celled, many-ovuled. Stylo 

 petal-like. Stigma marginal. Capsule covered with a dense bristly coat, 

 3-eelled, localicidally 3-valved. Placenta central. Seeds globose, anatropous. 

 Embryo straight in horny albumen. — Stems leafy. Leaves narrowed into a 

 sheathing petiole. Flowers spiked, showy. 



