696 Order 142.— 1L<EM0D0RACE.<E. 



branous, convolute into a tube, 3 petals colored, spreading above ; 

 stamens scarcely cohering with the base of the sepals ; ovary free ; 

 capsule elongated, the 3 valves splitting each into 2 layers, of which 

 the outer is membranous, the inner cartilaginous; seeds club-shaped 

 raised on comous stipes. — Plants grayish with scurf, growing on 

 trees. 



1 T. usneoides L. Black Moss. Spanish Moss. St. filiform, branching, 

 long, flexwous, pendulous; lvs. recurved, filiform (1 to 2' long); peduncle l-flowered, 

 short. — Very common in the low country, from the Dismal Swamp. Va. to Fla. 

 and La., hanging in long dark gray tufts and festoons from every tree. It is col- 

 lected, dried and beaten until the bark falls off, when the black, elastic, tough, 

 thread-like stem is used as hair in upholstery, &c. Flowers May — Aug. — Very 

 different in habit from the next. 



2 T. Bartramii Ell. Stems clustered, erect, simple, enveloped in bract-like 

 sheaths ; lvs. mostly radical, channeled, linear-subulate, from a dilated, half clasp- 

 ing base, which is brown and polished, much longer than the stein ; fls. 2 to 4, in 

 a bracted, terminal spike. — Swamps, Liberty County, Ga. (Pond). Root a dense 

 mass of crowns with fibers, "on the bark of old troes" (Elliott). Sts. abo?t 6' 



high, and with the lvs. (6 to 12) forming dense tufts. Fls Capsule 



9" long, sessile, enveloped in imbricated bracts. Inner valves dark brown- 

 Seed stipe clothed with a long, silky coma. Jn. 



3 T. recurva L. Lvs. subulate, recurved; scape setaceous, erect, longer than 

 the lvs., bearing about 2 flowers at the summit. — On old trees, Ga. and Fla., 

 forming tufts covered with grayish scales. (Pursh.) We saw specimens of this 

 species in the herbarium of Rev. Dr. Bachman, but took no description. 



Order CXLII. ELEMODORACELE. Blood worts. 



Herbs perennial, with fibrous roots, equitant or rosulate leaves, and perfect flowers. 

 Perianth regular, 6-parted, scurfy or woolly outside, more or less adherent. Stam- 

 ens 6, or 3 and opposite the petals, anthers introrse. Ovary 3-celled, 1-styled. 

 Capsule covered with tho withered perianth. Seeds with cartilaginous albumen. 



Genera 13, specie* 50, sparingly occurring in N. America, S. Africa, New Ilolland, &c. The 

 root of Lacnanthes tinctoria abounds in a red coloring matter. Oneofthe most intense bitters 

 known is Aletris farinosa. 



GENERA. 



§ Ovary wholly adherent. Stamens 3, exserted. Perianth woolly outside Lacnanthes. 1 



J Ovary half free. Stamens C, included. — Corymbod perianths woolly all over Lophiola. 2 



— Racemed perianths rugous-scurfy Alktkis. 8 



1. LACNANTHES, Elliott. Red-root. (Gr. Xd X vog, soft hair, 

 avOog.) Perianth woolly outside, tube adherent ; calyx lobes exterior, 

 of 3 linear sepals, as long as the >3 lance-oblong petals ; stamens 3, 

 equaling the petals and opposite to them ; filaments and filiform, de- 

 clined style exserted ; capsule 3-celled, truncated, many-seeded. — 

 An herb with red roots, equitant, ensiform lvs., and a dense, woolly 

 corymb. 



L. tinctoria E1L Swamps and borders of ponds, R. I. (Olney) to Fla. An in- 

 teresting plant, with rush-like lvs. St. erect, strict, 18 to 24' high, c'othed with 

 white wool above. Lvs. mostly radical, fleshy, 3 to 4" wide and nearly as high 

 as the stem. Cauline lvs. remote and bract-like. Corymb terminal, compactly 

 many-flowered. Fls. densely clothed with white wool outside, glabrous and yel- 

 low within. Anthers bright yellow, at length revolute. Jl., Aug. (Dilatris, 

 Purall.) — Tho root is said to be employed iu dyeing. 



2. LOPHI'OLA, Ker. Crest-flower. (Gr. Xofyog, a crest; allud- 

 ing to the crested petals.) Perianth half superior, G-cleft, persistent, 



