melanthace^:. (colchicum family.) 501 
S FE3^ANTHIUM, Gray (under Veratrum). 
Flowers polygamous or perfect. Perianth spreading; the se¬ 
pals narrowly lanceolate, tapering to a point from the broader 
base, where they are united and coherent with the base of the ova¬ 
ry, not gland-bearing, persistent, much longer than the short sta¬ 
mens. Pods, &c., nearly as in Veratrum. Seeds nearly wing¬ 
less. — Smooth, with a wand-like leafy stem from a somewhat 
bulbous base, racemed-panicled flowers, and long and grass-like 
conduplicate-keeled leaves. (Name composed of wrevis, narrow, 
and dados,.flower, from the slender sepals and panicles.) 
1 ; S' angustifolinm, Gray. Leaves linear, elongated, rath- 
er rigid ; flowers small (P long), white, very short-pedicelled, in slen- 
der racemes forming a narrow wand-like panicle ; the prolonged ter¬ 
minal raceme, and often some of the lateral ones, fertile. (Veratrum 
angustifolium, Pursh. Helonias graminea, Hot. Mag.) — Grassy prai¬ 
ries and low meadows, Ohio and southward toward the mountains. 
July, i—Stem slender, 2°-6° high. 
8. AMIANTIHUM, Gray. Fly-Poison. 
Flowers perfect. Perianth widely spreading; the distinct petal¬ 
like (white) sepals oval or obovate, sessile, not gland-bearing. 
Filaments capillary, equalling or exceeding the perianth. Anthers 
(as in all the foregoing) kidney-shaped or heart-shaped, becoming 
1-celled, and shield-shaped after opening. Styles thread-like. 
Pods, Ac., nearly as in Melanthiuro. Seeds wingless, oblong or 
linear, with a loose coat, 1 - 4 in each cell. — Stems simple from 
a bulbous base or coated bulb, scape-like, few-leaved, terminated 
by a simple, or rarely compound, dense raceme of handsome flow¬ 
ers, turning greenish with age. Leaves linear, keeled, grass-like. 
(Name from dpiavros, pure, and dados, flower, alluding to the un- 
spotted glandless perianth.) 
1. A. imiSCaetdxiCHin, Gray. (Fly-Poison.) Leaves broad¬ 
ly linear , elongated, obtuse (P to V wide), as long as the scape ) ra¬ 
ceme simple , oblong or cylindrical; pod abruptly 3-liorned j seeds ob¬ 
long, with a fleshy red coat. (Helonias erythrosp£rma, Michz.) — 
Low copses, New Jersey, Penn., and southward. June. 
2- A* leimanthoides, Gray. Leaves narrowly linear , short¬ 
er t lan the stem ; racemes panicled ; seeds lanceolate, with a mem- 
*°° se coat > narrowly margined. — Swamps, Pine barrens 
° erse y > Durand, Knieskern , and in the S. States. July. 
