372 NYCTAGINACEJi. (I'OUK-O'CLOCK 1 AMII-Y ) 



twiiiiiiij licrlts or shrubs. Loiivcs nlternntc, cordate at tlic hasc. Flowers long- 

 pcduiick'd, axillary, or near the base of the stem. 



* Imw herbs. 



1. A. Serpentaria, L. Stems single or clustered, pnbosrmt, zijjzng and 

 Icafv iilioM- ; leaves sliurt-[)etioled, varyiiij^ from ovate to linear-laneeolate, cor- 

 date or hastate at the base ; flowers near the base of the steni, on bracted spread- 

 ing peduncles ; calyx tortuous, .3-lobed, dull purple. (A. hastata, Nult.) — Shady 

 woods, Florida to Mississipjti, and northward. June -Aug. — Stem 8' -12' 

 high. Leaves 2' -4' long. Calyx shaped like the letter S. 



** ]Voocli/ vines : capsule ohlonfj, six-angled, 3' - 4' loiiff. 



2. A. Sipho, L'Hcr. Stem smoothish ; leaves large, orbicular-cordntc, 

 slightly pubescent beneath ; peduncles slender, solitary, witii a roundish clasping 

 bract near the base ; calyx curving upward, with the broad spreading brownish- 

 purj)le border ob.scurcly 3-lobed. — Rich woods along the mountains, Georgia, 

 and northward. May. — Stem climbing high. Leaves C- 12' broad. Calyx 

 shaped like a Dutcli pipe, 1 j' long. 



3. A. tomentosa, Sims. Hoary-pubescent ; leaves cordate ; peduncles 

 opposite the leaves, bractless, woolly ; calyx bent in the middle, the greenish 

 rugose unequall}^ 3-lobed border rcflexed, thickened and dark brown at the 

 nearlv closed throat. — River-banks, Florida, to the mountains of North Caro- 

 lina, and westward. May. — Stem very long. Leaves 3' - 5' long. Calyx 

 similar in shape to the preceding, but smaller- 



Order lOfi. NYCTAGINACE7E. (Four-o'clock Family.) 



Herbs or slirubs with tumid joints. Leaves mostly opposite, simple, 

 pctioled, without stipules. — Calyx colored and resembling a corolla, 

 tubular-bell-shaped or funnel-shaped, free from the l-celled and 1-ovuled 

 ovary, plaited in the bud, contracted in the middle, with the upper por- 

 tion deciduous. Stamens 1 - several, hypogynous : anthei-s 2-celled, round- 

 ish. Ovule erect. Style simple : stigma simple or bi-aiuhed. Achenium 

 enclosed in the indurated, mostly ribbed, often glandular base of the 

 calyx. Embryo coiled or folded around copious mealy albumen. Cotyle- 

 dons leafy, lladicle inferior. 



Synopsis. 



» Flowers surrounded by a calyx -like involucre. 



1. OXYB,\PIIl'S. Involucre open, membranaceous, 5 lobcd. Herbs. 



* * Flowers without an involucre. 



2. t^OERIIAAVTA. Flowers perfect. Embryo coiled Herbs. 

 a. PISONLA.. Flowers dioecious. Embryo straight. Shrubs. 



1. OXYBAPHUS, Vahl. 



Flowers perfect, 1-5 in a cluster, surrounded by an open cup-shaped .5-lobed 

 involucre. Calyx-tube very short; the bell-shaped limb 5-lobed, deciduous. 



