136 



DIDYNAMIA ANGIOSPERMIA 



3. ViRGINIANA. 



5 



O ? caule ramoso 

 floribus alternis dis' 

 tantibus; corollis de 

 cidiiis, 4-dentatis 

 capsulis oblique trim- 

 catis, hinc dehiscenti- 

 biis. 



Stem branchine: 



&5 



flowers alternate, dis- 

 tant : corolla decidu- 



? 



I 



ous 



9 



4-tootlied 



5 



cap- 



sule obliquely trunca- 

 ted, opening on one 

 side. 



Sp. pi. 3. p. 351. Walt. p. 166. Mich. 2. p. 26. Pursh 2. p. 431 

 Epifagus Americana. Nutt. 2. p. 60. 



^F 



Roof parasitic, somewhat tuberous, perennial. Stem 12 — 18 inches 

 highj branching, smooth, carnose, bearing small remote scales. Floioers 



alternate, distant, nearly sessile, the lower ones bearing fruit, the upper 



ones generally abortive. Calyx short, 4-tooothed. Corolla 4-toothecl, 

 the sterile flowers much larger than the fertile, white, streaked with pur- 

 ple- Stamens about as long as the corolla. Sti/le simple. Stigma cap- 

 itate. Capsule nearly round, dilating, after it opens, very much in the 

 shape of a cup. 



Grows on the roots of Beech trees, to which tree it is exclusively at- 



tached 



August^ — September. 



These three plants probably belong to distinct genera. The O. Amer- 



pean 



Mr. 



Nuttall, and I believe Mr. Rafinesque before him has pointed out the pro- 

 priety of separating the O. Virginica from the other species. I am not 



atious of Mi\ Rafinestme whose name 



able at present to tura to the ob 



would have at least the claim of priority, and I have continued to use the 

 ancient arranp-ement. 



* 



t. 



