38 iiYri;uK'ACK.-K. (sr. joiin's-wokt iamii.v.) 



vatc, veiny, iinhricattil in tlio bud, dfciduous. Fertile stamens !'>, alter- 

 natinj^ with tlie jtetals : antliers introrse. Sterile ones in sets of 3 - 15 

 more or less united lilanients, jilaeed opposite each petal. Ovary 1-eelled, 

 with 3-4 parietal j)laeentie. Stigmas 3-4, sessile, placed over the pla- 

 eenta*. Capsule loeuliei<lally 3-4-valvcd at the apex, many-seeded. 

 Seeds anatropous, winged, without albumen. Embryo straight, cyliudrical. 



1. PARNASSIA, Tuurii. Grass of Parnassus. 

 Cliarac'ters same as tlio order. 



1. P. Caroliniana, Miclix. Lcuvcs broadly ovate or cordate-ovate ; can- 

 line one near the base of tlic stem, clasping ; petals oval, sessile, with impressed 

 greenish veins ; sterile stamens by threes, distinct almost to the base, 2-3 times 

 as long as the recurved fertile ones. — Damp soil, Florida and nortiiward. Oc- 

 tober and Novciid)or. — Stem 12'- 18' high. Flowers 1' wide. 



2. P. asarifolia, "Vent. Leaves reniform ; cauline one near the nnddlo 

 of the stem, clasping; petals broadly ovate, short-clawed; sterile stamens hy 

 threes. — Higli mountains of North Carolina. August and September. — Flow. 

 crs larircr than in No. 1. 



OiU)Ku 18. IIYPERICACEiE. (St. Joiin's-avout Family.) 



Herbs or .shrubs, with opposite entire dotted leaves, witliout stipules, 

 and regular hypogynous, mostly yellow flowers. — Sepals 4-5, imbricated 

 in the 1)U(1, jx-rsistent. Petals 4-5, convolute or imbricated in the bud, 

 deciduous. Stamens mostly numerous, and often united at the base into 

 3-5 sets: anthers introrse. Styles 2-5, often united, j)ersistent. Cap- 

 sule 1-celled, with strictly parietal placentse, or 2-5-celled by the meeting 

 of the placentae at the axis, septicidally 2 - 5-valved. Seeds very numer- 

 ous, minute, anatropous, without albumen. 



Synopsis. 



» Petals convolute in the bud. 



1. ASCVRUM. Pcpals and (yellow) petals 4. 



2. HYPERICUM. Sepals and (yellow) petals 5. Stamens without interposed glands. 



* » Petals imbricated in the bud. 



3. ELODEA. Sepals and (rose-colored) petals 5. A gland between the sets of stamens. 



1. ASCYRUM, L. St. Peter's-wort. 



Sepals 4, the two outer ones much larger (except No. 5). Petals 4, convolute 

 in the bud, oblique. Stamens numerous. Styles 2-4, distinct or united. Cap- 

 sules 2-4-valvcd, 1-cclled, with 2-4 parietal plaeentaj. — Smooth shrubs with 

 2-edgcd branches. Flowers mostly soUtary, yellow. 



* Pedicels 2-bracted : styles shorter than the ovari/. 



1. A. Crux-Andrese, L. Leaves linear-oblone:, obtuse, nanowed at the 

 base ; outer sepals oval, rather obtuse, the inner ones minute ; petals oblong, 



