474 DIOSCOREACL.E. (YAM FAMILY.) 



1. S. Bermudiana, L. Leaves linear, ereet ; stem simple or sparingly 

 branched, naked or 1 - 2-leavcd, more or less broadly 2-winged ; leaves of the 

 Bpathe equal and shorter than the flowers, or the lower one much longer than 

 the flowers ; perianth blue, yellow in the centre ; the divisions notched and 

 bristle-awncd at the apex. (S. mueronattim, Michx.) — Grassy meadows, or 

 sometimes in dry soil, Florida, and northward. July and Aug. — Stem 6'- 18' 

 high. Leaves mostly shorter than the stem. Flowers 4-6 in a spathc, £' wide, 

 opening in the evening. 



3. NEMASTYLIS, Nutt. 



Perianth 6-parted, the divisions nearly equal and spreading. Stamens 3, dis- 

 tinct, with the subulate filaments much shorter than the elongated linear anthers. 

 St\ le short, 3-lobed, with the lobes 2-parted, each division produced into filiform 

 radiating stigmas. Capsule oblong, truncated. — Herbs with coated bulhous 

 roots, linear plicate leaves, and very fugacious flowers from a 2-leaved spathe. 



1^ N. COelestina, Nutt. Bulb small, roundish ; radical leaves few, elon- 

 gated, sheathing j those of the stem diminishing upward, the uppermost hraet- 

 likc ; flowers mostly solitary, terminal ; divisions of the perianth oblong-obovate ; 

 Capsule obtusely 3-angled ; 6eeds angular, brown. (Ixia ccelestina, Bartram.) — 

 Pine barrens, Florida to South Carolina, and westward. May and June. — Stem 

 U° - 2° high. Flowers bright blue. 



Order 148. DIOSCOREACE^E. (Yam Family.) 



Twining herbs, with tuberous roots, ribbed and reticulated leaves, and 

 small regular diceeious flowers, in axillary spikes or panicles. — Perianth 

 6-parted, the tube (in the fertile flower) adherent to the 3-celled ovary. 

 Stamens 6 : anthers 2-celled, introrsc. Ovules anatropous, 1 - 2 in each 

 cell. Styles S, more or less united below. Fruit mostly capsular, 3-6- 

 Beeded. Embryo minute, in hard albumen. 



1. DIOSCOREA, rium. Yam. 



Tube of the perianth 3-winged. Stamens inserted at the base of the limb. 

 Capsule 6-seeded, membranaceous, 3 winged, opening septicidally through the 

 Seeds fiat, broadly winged. — Leaves petiolcd, mostl] cordate and entire. 

 Petioles tumid at the base. 



• 1. D. villosa, L. Stem smooth (10°- 15° long) j haves alternate, oppo- 

 site, or whorled, broadly cordate, acuminate, 7-9 nerved, smooth, or pubescent 



beneath, mostly longer than the slender petiole ; Bowers very small, whitish ; the. 

 sterile, ones in BCattered Cl(18ter8 on the very slender branches of the axillary 



panicles , the fertile in a simple spike ; stigmas notched at the apex ; capsule 

 oval or obovate, strongly 't winged, nodding (I) auatemata, Wall.) — Murgins 



imps, Florida, and northward. July. 



