Elytraria. ACANTHACEiE. 323 



spreading and plane, or the posterior (interior in tlie bud) at first concave-infolded and 

 less spreading. Stamens nearly equalling the corolla-lobes. Capsule ovate, acuminate, 

 obcompressd.on a slender clavate stipe. Seeds very flat, minutely scabrous. 



8. ANISACANTHUS. Corolla with elongated tube gradually somewhat wider at tl;e 

 throat; the 4 lobes similar, lanceolate, entire, erectish recurving; the posterior (or ujip^r 

 lip) rather more deeply separated. Stamens and style equalling or exceeding the corolla- 

 lobes. Capsule ovate on the long clavate stipe. Seeds smooth or rugulose. 



++ +-!• Anther-cells unequal or unequally inserted, one lower than the other or oblique ; 



= The lower calcarate or mucronate at base: corolla manifestly bilabiate; upper lip 

 erect and more or less concave, merely emarginate or 2-lobed at apex, not surpassed by 

 the stamens; these inserted in or near the throat : calyx 5-parted (sometimes 4-parted), 

 small. 



9. SIPHONOGLOSSA. Corolla with long-linear or filiform tube and short limb ; lower 

 lip broad and si)reading, 3-cleft. Antlier-cells contiguous and parallel, but one higher. 



10. BELOPERONE. Corolla deeply bilabiate, but with tube much longer than limb; 

 throat narrow ; lower lip 3-lobcd at apex, erect-spreading. Antlier-cells somewjiat unequal 

 and oblique, on a more or less dilated connective. Seeds globular or thickened ! 



1 1. JUSTICIA. Corolla with short tube, and rather anipliate throat seldom longer than 

 the limb ; lower lip spreading, o-lobed. Anther-cells oblique and disjoined. Seeds, as far 

 as known, flat. 



= = Anthers muticous, or both cells rarely mucronulate at base : calyx deeply 5-parted 

 into narrow or subulate divisions, the fifth commonly smaller : stamens not surpassing 

 the corolla. 



12. DIANTHERA Corolla bilabiate ; upper lip erect and concave or fornicate, entire or 

 2-tootlied; lower spreading and o-lobed, with a rugose or venose-reticulated convex base 

 or palate. Antlier-cells ovate or oblong, not parallel, moderately or conspicuously dis- 

 joined on a dilated connective. Seeds glabrous, smooth, or echinulate-scabrous. Bract- 

 lets small 



13. GATESIA. Corolla with slender tube, somewhat anipliate throat, and almost equally 

 4-lobed spreading limb; lobes nearly similar, plane, ovate. Anther-cells oblong, contig- 

 uous and similar, but one a little lower and oblique. Stigma capitellate. Seeds gla- 

 brous, minutely rugulose. Spikes sliort and dense ; bracts and bractlets membranaceo- 

 foliaceous, 1-nerved and pinnately veined or triplinerved. 



•J— H— Placentae, by rupture of half-partition from the base upward, at length separating 

 and diverging or incurving : anther-cells muticous, or rarely one or both mucronulate 

 at base : calyx small, dry, or somewhat glumaceoiis, 4-5-partcd ; the divisions subulate 

 or linear-lanceolate, equal, or the innermost (posterior) smaller: corolla with narrow 

 tube: filaments filiform. 



14. TETRAMERIUM. Flowers solitary (j'arely 2 or 3) covered by a large and herbaceous 

 primary bract, and subtended by two small and narrow bractlets. Corolla with an almost 

 equally 4-parted limb, or somewhat bilabiate ; the 3-parted and widely spreading lower 

 lip rather more separated from the less spreading or ratlier erect and slightly concave 

 entire and obovate or oblong upper lip. Anther-cells equal and parallel or nearly so, 

 either contiguous or separated by a slightly dilated connective. Seeds flat, muriculate 

 or papillose. Spikes strobilaccous, quadrifarious. 



15. DICLIPTERA. Flowers not covered by primary bracts (of main axis), but involu- 

 crate (either singly or in a fascicle) by 2 valvately opposed and nearly equal or 4 less 

 dilated and unequal herbaceous bractlets. Corolla deeply bilabiate ; upper lip erect, con- 

 cave or plane, entire or emarginate; lower spreading, entire or 3-lobed at apex. Anthers 

 with a narrow connective. Seeds either smooth or muriculate. Inflorescence various, 

 not strobilaceous-spicate. 



1. ELiYTRARIA, Michx. {'EXvtqov, a case or cover, the scape or pe- 

 duncle and spike covered with imbricated bracts.) — Lo^y perennial herbs (chieHy 

 tropical American) ; with leaves crowded at base of a naked scape or at summit 

 of a short naked stem, tapering to the base, thinnish ; flowers small, solitary and 

 sessile under the bracts ; these and the scales of the scapes rigid-chartaceous or 

 glumaceous, alternate ! — Michx. Fl. i. 8 (1803); Vahl, Eniim. i. 106 (1804), 

 excl. spec. 



E. virgata, Michx. Acaulescent: leaves from oblong to elongated spatulate, obtuse (2 

 to inches long), with usually undulate margins : scape a foot or less high, bearing a short 



