486 MELANTHACEiE. (COLCHICUM FAMILY.) 



3, distiiH't or more or less united. Fruit a capsule or berry. Seeds 

 anatropous. Embryo muiuto, in copious albumen. 



Synopsis. 



SuBORDKR I. UVULARIE^E. (Tiik Bkllwort Family.) Peri- 

 antli corolla-like, bell-shaped, the divisions distinct and deciduous. Styles 

 partly or wholly united. Fruit a few-seeded capsule or berry. — Stems 

 forkinfT and leafy above, sheathed below. Leaves ovate or lanceolate, 

 sessile or clasping. Flowers perfect, solitary, nodding. 



1. UVULARIA. Fruit a 3-lobed loculicklal capsule. Flowers on short latoml branches. 

 2 Pl'.OSAUTES- Fruit a 3-6-secdc(l berry. Flowers terminal, on straijiht peduncles. 



3. STIiEPTOPUS. Fruit a many -seeded berry. Flowers axillary, on bent peduncles. 



SrnoRDKR 11. MELANTIIIE^E. (Tiik Colciirim Family.) 

 Perianth spreading; the divisions mostly distinct, often clawed, withering- 

 persistent. Styles separate. Fruit a 3-eelled capsule. — Stems leafy at 

 the base, simple or branched. Flowers in racemes or panicles, sometimes 

 polygamous or dioecious. 



• Anther-cells confluent. 



*■ Tjcaves of the perianth biglandular near the base. 



4. MELANTHIUM. Flowers polygamous. Filaments partly adhering to the claws of the 



perianth. 

 6. ZIGADENUS. Flowers perfect. Filaments free from the perianth. 

 ■I- +■ Leaves of the perianth glandless. 



6. STENANTIITUM. Leaves of the perianth lanceolate, acute, coherent with the base of the 



ovary, longer than the stamens 



7. VER.\TI!L'>I. Leaves of the perianth oblong or obovate, free from the ovary, longer than 



the stamens and short styles. Flowers polygamous. 



8. AMIANTIITUM. Leaves of the perianth obovate, free, shorter than the stamens and 



slender styles. Flowers perfect, racemed. 



9. SCII(EXOC.\.ULON. Leaves of the perianth oblong, shorter than the stamens, much 



longer than the very short styles. Flowers perfect, spiked. 



# • Anther-cells distinct 

 4- Capsule loculicidal 



10. XEROPIIYLLUM. Flowers perfect. Capsule 6-seeded. Radical leares grass-like. 



11. CIIAMilXIIUUM. Flowers dia-cious. Capsule mauy-sceded. Radical leaves obovate. 



■^ 4- Capsule septicidal. Leaves equitant. Anthers introrsc. 



12. PLEKA. Ptimcns 9-12. Anthers versatile. Bracts spathe-like. 



13. TOFIELDIA. Stamens 6. Anthers erect. Bracts short 



1. UVULARIA, L. Bellwort. 



Perianth bcll-shapcd, oorolla-likc, the divisions distinct, grooved nt the base 

 within, deciduous. Fihimcnt.s short : anthers linear, adnata. Style deeply 3- 

 cleft: stigmas spreading, rnpsulo .l-lohcd or .l-anjilcd, locuiieidally .l-valvcd nt 

 the apex. Seeds few, ohovoid, lialf cncin U d by tlic tumid raphe. — Low lierbs. 



