74 GENTIANACEiE. (gENTLIN FAMILY.) 



over tlie truncate summit of the stigma, their ^ring-like edges meeting and projecting 

 between the hoods; pollen in 10 wax-like masses. Follicles ovate or lanceolate. Seeds 

 numerous, flat, downwardly imbricated all over the large, soon detached placenta; the 

 upper end with a long tuft of down (coma). — Hoods in our species erect and not exceed- 

 ing the stamens and stigma. 



1. A. fascioularis, Decaisne. Smooth, slender, 1 to 5 ft. high; leaves in whorls of 

 3 to 5, or some in pairs, linear and linear-lanceolate; flowers white or whitish; horns 

 longer than the hoods. 



2. A. vestita, Hook & Arn. White-woolly; leaves opposite, ovate-lanceolate or 

 oblong-lanceolate, almost sessile; umbels almost sessile; flowers about half an inch long, 

 the hoods flesh-colored. 



2. GOMPHOCARPUS, R. Br. 

 No horn to the hood of the stamens; otherwise as Asdcpias. 



% 1. Hoods saccate, pointless, lower than the anthers, opening down the back, asif 2-valved. 



1. G. tomentosus, Gr. White-tomentose, closely resembling Asclepias vistitia; 

 stem acutely angled; leaves ovate or oblong (about 4 inches long); corolla greenish-white 

 or purplish. 



2. G. purpurascens, Gr. Canescently puberulent; stems 4 to 12 inches high; 

 leaves ovate and somewhat cordate, an inch or two long; flowers small; the corolla red- 

 purple; the hoods white. 



§ 2. Hoods erect, open down the front, somewhat surpassing the anthers. 



3. G. cordifolius, Benth. Green and smooth, 2 or 3 ft. high; leaves ovate or ovate- 

 lanceolate, with cordate clasping base, opposite, rarely in threes, 2 to 5 inches long; 

 flowers large; corolla dark red-purple; the hoods purplisli. 



Order 37. GENTIANACEiS. 



Glabrous herbs, with colorless, bitter juice, entire opposite and sessile leaves, no sti- 

 pules, perfect and regular flowers, stamens as many as the lobes of the corolla and alternate 

 with them, inserted on the tube, the anthers free from the stigma; ovary 1-celled; style 

 one or none; the stigmas commonly two. Calyx persistent. 



§ 1. Corolla lolthering-persistenf. Leaves opposite or tvhorled, entire, sessile. 



Corolla salver-form, red; calyx 5-parted Erythrasa. 1 



Corolla short, salver-form, yellow; caylx 4-toothed Microcala. 2 



Corolla funnel-form, blue Gentiana, 3 



§ 2. Corolla deciduous. Leaves alternate, with sheathing petioles. 

 Flowers borne on a naked scape Menyauthes, 4 



