114 COMMELINACEAE 
sionally all the staminate flowers on one plant, the pistillate on 
another. Stamens equal in number or twice the number of the 
sepals. 
1. ERIOCAULON, L. 
Leaves short, grass-like. Flower stem with a sheathing bract at -the 
base. Flowers in white or dull lead-colored rounded heads, Flowers bear- 
ing stamens nearly tubular, of 2 segments at the summit, united below. 
Stamens 4 to 6. The staminate flowers generally exterior to the pistil- 
late. Calyx of 2 or 3 sealy sepals. Corolla tubular, spreading above and 
divided at summit into 2 or 3 segments. Stamens twice as many as 
the segments. Bracts bearded. é 
l. E. articulatum, (Huds.) Morong. (Fig. 9, pl. 9.) SEVEN-ANGLED 
Pirewort. (#. septangulare, With.). Leaves as long as the sheaths of 
the flower scapes. Flower scapes twisted, 7-angled. When growing in 
water the heads reach the surface, hence the scape may be 2 to 10 ft. 
long; when on the muddy bank 1 or more inches high. Our area. 
2. E, Parkeri, Robinson. Parker’s Pirpewort. Growing in tufts, 
smooth, flower stem 2} to 5 in. high. Leaves linear-lanceolate, about 4 
in. wide, 13 to 2} in. long. Differs from No. 1 in that the head of the 
latter is said to be “ellipsoid,” while this species has heads said to be 
“campanulate” in fruit and the flowers of the present species are erect 
while the outer ones of No. 1 are spreading. In tidal mud, near Camden, 
New Jersey. Sept.-Oct. 
3. E. compressum,Lam. FLATTENED PipEwortT. Leaf blades sharp- 
pointed, shorter than the sheaths of the flower stem, the latter slender and 
flattened, 10- to 12-angled, 3 to 3 ft. long. Shallow water, south New 
Jersey and southward. 
4. E. decangulare, L. (Fig. 5, pl. 9.) TEN-ANGLED Prpewort. ‘Leaf 
blades blunt-pointed, much longer than the sheath of the flower scape, 
rather broad, grass-like, 6 to 20 in. long, often 4 in. wide. Flower stem 
1 to 3 ft. tall. Swamps, south New Jersey and southward. 
Famity II]—COMMELINACEAE. Spiperwort FAMILY 
Generally somewhat succulent plants, annual or perennial by 
their roots. Leaves alternate, always sheathing the stem at the 
base. Flowers blue, generally several, subtended by a leaf-like 
spathe (Commelina) or leafy bracts (T’radescantia). Sepals 3; 
petals 3, unequal; stamens 6. 
1. COMMELINA, L. 
Weak, semi-prostrate, juicy herbs, with base of leaves encircling the 
stem. Flowers } in. broad, enclosed below by a heart-shaped folded leaf 
or spathe. Sepals or petals unequal. Of the 6 stamens 3 are usually 
sterile and smaller than the others. Flowers all summer. 
1. C. communis, L. (Fig. 2, pl. 8.) CREEPING Day FLower. (C. 
nudiflora, L.?). Leaves and stem light green, semi-prostrate, often rooting 
