HEXANDUIA TRIGYNIA. 4S1 



HELONIAS. Gen. pl. 622. 



4 



Califx 0. Corolla 6-pe. | Califx 0, Corolla 6 pe- 

 tala ; petalis planis, sessi- f tailed; petals flat, sessile, 

 libus. Cupsiila 3-locula- | Capsule 3 celled, few 

 ris, o]i<j;ospcrma. | seeded. 



i. Ervthrosperma. 



H ? foliis lineari-longis- I Leaves linear, very 

 siinis ; scapo foiioso ; long ; scape leafy ; cap- 

 capsula abbreviata. diva- sule shortened, divari- 



cate : seeds ovate. 



ncata; seminibus ovatis. 

 Pers. i.p. SUU^ 



Mich. 1. p. 212. Pursh, 1. p. 242. 

 Melanthium leetum, Sp. pl. 2. p. 267. 

 Melanthium musc^etoxicum, Walt, p, 125. 



Jioot bulbous. Stem 2 feet high, leafj, glabrous. Leaves long, li- 

 near, 5 — 6 lines wide, obtuse, glabrous*, nerved, slightly channelled, 

 generally growing from the root, but some also from the stem, dimin- 

 ishing in size near the summit Flowers in a terminal simple 

 raceme. ^ Peduncles longer than the flowers. Petals ovate, ses* 

 fiile, persistent Stamens rather longer than the petals. Anthers 

 nrhite. Germs 5, superior, with the summits divaricate. Stigmas 

 simjple. Capsules S, united at base Seed ovate, covered with a 

 fleshy integument which becomes of a bright red colour when ripe. 



The structure of the capsule in this species approaches to that of 

 Veratrum, but its seed and habit indicate another genusi 



Grows in shaly, rich soils. 



Flowers April— May. Red-seeded Helonias. Fltj poison. 



This plant is a narcotic poison, and is employed in some families 

 for destroying tlie house-fly. The bulbs are triturated and mixed 

 with molasses or honey, and the preparation is spread upon plates 

 and placed in parts of the house most infested. The flies are soon 

 attracted, and the poison takes effect while they are sipping it. They 

 are perceived to stand unsteadily, totter, and fall supine. The flics, 

 unless swept into a fire or otherwise destroyed, revive in the course 

 twenty-four hours. s 



-JH» 



^ 



S. Angcstipolia. Mich. " '! 



H. foliis lineari-subu- I Leaves linear, subulate ; 

 latis j scapo foiioso ; cap- j scape leafy ; capsule ob- 



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