MONOCOTYLEDONS. 25 



1 iu. wide, the odd petal lanceolate ; capsule 3-seeded, the dorsal cell 

 indehisceiit. May-September. On moist sandy soil. 



II. TRADESCANTIA. 



Perennial ; stem simple or branched ; leaves very narrow ; 

 flowers in terminal and axillary bracted nmbels, regular, 1 in. 

 broad ; sepals 3, herbaceous ; petals 3, fugacious or deliques- 

 cent ; stamens 6, sometimes 3 shorter than the others, fila- 

 ments bearded or smooth ; ovary 3-celled, with 2 ovules in 

 each cell ; pedicels recurved in fruit ; capsule 3-celledj 3-valved, 

 3-6-seeded. 



1. T. ViRGiNiCA L. Spiderwort. Stem erect, stout, smooth 

 or villous, 1-2 ft. high ; leaves linear, keeled, often purple-veined, 

 long-acuminate, 1 ft. or more in length ; bracts similar to the leaves, 

 umbels sessile, i-many-flowered, flowers in 2 rows in the bud ; petals 

 blue or purple, twice as long as the sepals ; stamens blue, filaments 

 densely bearded ; capsule ovoid or oblong. INIarch-June. On dry 

 sandy soil. 



2. T. PiLOSA Lehm. Hairy Spiderwort. Stem stout, erect or 

 flexuous, branched, villous or nearly smooth, 1-2 ft. high ; leaves 

 linear-oblong, acuminate at the apex, narrowed at the base, pubes- 

 cent on both sides ; umbels axillary and terminal, many-flowered ; 

 pedicels and sepals villous with glandular hairs ; flowers blue or 

 purple, f-1 in. wide ; seeds pitted. i\Iay-July. In rich soil. 



10. PONTEDERIACEiE. PICKEKEL-WEED FAMILY. 



Perennial marsh or aquatic herbs ; stems simple or branched, 

 succulent ; leaves simple, alternate ; flowers solitary or spiked, 

 each subtended by a leaf-like spathe, perfect, mostly irregu- 

 lar, perianth corolla-like, 6-parted ; stamens 3 or 6, unequal, 

 inserted irregularly in the tube or tliroat of the perianth ; 

 ovary free, style single, stigma entire or toothed ; ovary 1- or 

 3-celled ; fruit a 1-seeded utricle. 



PONTEDERIA. 



Stem erect, from a thick creeping rhizome, bearing a single 

 leaf above the middle and several sheathing bract-like leaves 



