LINAGES. 53 



twice as many £U3 the petals. Styles 2 — 5, very short, or none ; 

 stigmas capitate. Capsule 2 — 5-celled, 2 — 5-valved. Seeds 

 numerous, without albumen ; embryo- straight. — Small annual 

 plants, found in marshes. Stems fistulous, rooting. Leaves 

 opposite, *v^ith minute stipules. 



ELATINE. Linn.— WaterwoTt. 



(From the Greek tXdrij, ajir ; its minute leaves somewhat resemblins? those 

 of the fir tree.) 



Calyx 2 — 4-parted. Petals 2 — 4. Stamens 2 — 8. Cap- 

 sule 2 — 4-valved ; margin of the valves not introflexed. 



E. Americana Arnott : stems diffuse, rooting and creeping ; leaves cu- 

 neate-ol)ovate, obtuse; flowers minute, sessile; sepals, petals, stamens 

 and sessile stigmas 2, sometimes 3 ; seeds 6 — 8. (Torr. N. Y. Fl.) Crypta 

 minima Niitt. Peplis Americana Pursh. 



Banks of streams. Throughout the U. S. July — Sept. ®? — Stems rooting 

 and creeping, forming patches. Leaves 2—3 lines long, entire. Flowers soli- 

 tary, very minute. Petals roundish, white. American Waterwort. 



Order XXI. LINACE^.— Flaxworts. 

 Sepals 3 — 5, persistent, with an imbricated aestivation. Pe- 

 tals as many as the sepals, unguiculate, with a twisted aestiva- 

 tion. Stamens as many as the petals, and alternate with them, 

 often with intermediate teeth or abortive stamens. Ovaries of 

 3 — 5 united carpels ; styles filiform. Capsule globose, 3 — 5- 

 celled ; each cell partially divided in two by an imperfect spu- 

 rious dissepiment, and opening by 2 valves at the apex. Seeds 

 solitary, with thin albumen and a straight embryo. — Herba- 

 ceous plants or small shrubs. . Leaves entire, opposite or alter- 

 nate, without stipules. Flowers terminal. 



LINUM. Linn.—Fla.x. 

 (From the Celtic lin, thread.) 



Sepals 5, persistent. Petals 5. Stamens 5, with the fila- 

 ments united at base. Styles 5, very rarely 3. Capsule supe- 

 rior, subglobose, 10-valved, 10-celled. Seeds ovate, com- 

 pressed. 



1. L. usita tissimum Linn. : stem mostly solitary, round, smooth, simple, 

 branched above ; leaves lanceolate, alternate ; flowers large, on peduncles ; 

 segments of the calyx ovate, acute ; petals crenate ; capsule roundish, 

 acuminate. 



Fields. June, July. (T). — Stem H to 2 feet high. Leaves distant, 3-rowed 

 Flowers large, purplish-blue. Introduced ; scarcely naturalized. 



Common Flax. 



