158 l.YTIIUACK.'K. (lOOSKSTKIFK FAMILY.) 



* Cdjisuh' hiirstintj irn:(ju!(iily : flowers mostlij cluslcrcil. 



1. A. GOCCinea, Ikueltb. Stem mostly bniiicliing, 2° liigli ; leaves liiiear- 

 laiu'eiilati', ililateii and auriculate at the base; Howera nearly sessile; style 

 ami stamens exserted ; petals rouudobovate, ]mrj)le. — Wet banks, South 

 Carolina, and westward. July -Sept. 



2. A. latifolia, L. Stem simjde, l°-l^^liigh; lower leaves oblong, sliort- 

 petioU'il, tlie uiijicT anrienlate-chu-iping, or .sessile; flowers sessile; petals 

 none; stamens and short style ineUuled. — Ditehes and wet iiauks in ijie 

 lower districts. July - Sept. 



* » Capsule valvate : flowers solilan/. — Ivotal.v. 



3. A. humilis, Michx. Stem simple, or brandling from the ba.sc, 6'- 12' 

 high ; leaves lanecolale, or tlie upper linear, obtuse, tapering into a short 

 petiole; flowers uearly sessile; style short; petals 4, wliiie. — Ditehes and 

 muddy bauks. July - Sept. 



•3. LYTHRUM, L. Locsestrife. 



Calvx cylindrical, striate, 4 - 7-toothed, usually with minute appendages in 

 the sinuses. Petals 4-7. Stamens as many as the petals, or twice as many, 

 inserted on the lower part of the calyx, uearly equal. Ca])sulo oiilong, 2- 

 celled, many-seeded. — Herbs, with opposite or alternate leaves, and axillary 

 purple or wiiitish flowers. 



1. L. alatum, Pursh. Smooth; stem and virgate branches 4-angled ; 

 leaves lanceolate, acute at both ends, opposite, the uppermost alternate, and 

 shorter than the flowers ; petals and stamens 6. — X'aries with branches 

 shorter, leaves larger (2' long), broadly lanceolate, sometimes whorled, the 

 uppermost twice as long as the calyx. (L. lanceolatum, E/l.) — Swamp.'* 

 and river banks. July - Sept. — Stem 2° - 4° high. Flow'crs violet-purple. 



2. L. flagellarG, .Shuttlw. Perennial, creeping, smooth ; the branches 

 erect, terete ; leaves opposite, nearly sessile, rigid, oblong ; flowers single, 

 shorter than the leaves, the short pedicel bibracteolate ; calyx club-shaped, 6- 

 toothed, the teeth broad and shorter than the subulate appendages ; petals 6, 

 spatulate, bright purple ; stamens and style exserted. — Margins of ponds. 

 Sarasota, South Florida (Garher). — Brandies 6' -12' high. Leaves 4" -6" 

 long. 



3. L. lineare, L. Smooth ; stem 4-angled, much branched ; leaves all 

 opposite, linear; flowers small, whitish: petals and stamens 6. — Brackish 

 marshes along the coast. August. — Stem 2° -4° higli. Calyx teeth short. 



4. NESiEA, Commerson. 



Calyx hemispherical or campanulate, with 4-7 erect teeth, and as many 

 longer and spreading horn-like appendages in the sinuses. Petals 4-7. Sta- 

 mens twice as many as the petals. Capsule globose, 3 -4-celled. — Perennial 

 herbs or shrubby plants, with opposite or whorled leaves, and clustered pedi- 

 celled flowers in their axils. 



