LILY FAMILY 129 
cluster quite spreading (III, p. 36, Part I). The gland at base of petals 
only a yellow spot. Flowers about } in. broad. Swamps, wet soil. 
9. MELANTHIUM, L. 
Perennial herbs, tall, leafy, with greenish flowers in a long loose termi- 
nal pyramidal cluster (panicle, III, p. 24, Part I). Leaves broad-linear. 
Flowers simply staminate or simply pistillate on the same plant or 
both classes of organs in the same flower, greenish-white or cream color. 
Perianth of 6 spreading, oblong or somewhat heart-shapéd segments raised 
on slender claws with or without 2 glands at base. Capsule conical; 
seeds flat, broadly winged. 
“1. Mz. virginicum, L. (Fig. 6, pl. 11.) BuNncH-rLower. Stems 2 to 
5 ft. high. Leaves somewhat broadly linear-lanceolate. Cluster pyramidal. 
Petals oblong, the outline not indented. June-Aug. 
2. M. latifolium, Desr. CrispepD BuNncu-FLowEeR. Leaves broader 
toward the outer extremity. Petals nearly rounded and with undulating 
outline. June-Aug. 
Io. VERATRUM, (Tourn.) L. 
Perennial herb with tall leafy stem springing from a thickened root- 
stock (poisonous). Leaves alternate, mostly broad oval, passing to lance- 
shaped, marked by strong parallel veins and longitudinal foldings. 
Flowers in a loose pyramidal cluster (panicle) at the summit of the 
stem. These are mostly perfect or some may be staminate only and 
others pistillate only. Stamens not arising from the segments of the 
perianth, but from the receptacle, nearly erect at first, then spreading. 
V. viride, Ait. (Fig. 1, pl. 11.) AmericAN WHITE HELLEBORE. 
InDIAN Poke. Stem from 2 to 8 ft. high; flowers yellowish-green in the 
axils of bracts, forming a large pyramidal cluster. Wet places through- 
out our region. May-July. 
iz. UVULARIA, L. 
Perennial erect herbs from rootstocks. Stems smooth, forking, leafy 
above with clasping scales below. Flowers large, drooping, solitary at 
the extremities of branches or rarely 2 at end of the same branch. Peri- 
anth narrow bell-shaped, 1 to 13 in. Jong. Stamen filaments thread-like, 
the anthers quite long. Ovary 3 angled, ovoid. 
Leaves completely surrounding the stem. 
MEAVeSHUOW IVlE DELEAL HMM ciy sill sm ll Sinisa aul sitll sesmlanCla Necanainore 
Leaves smooth beneath . SP CEG oNMeW riot ve U. perfoliata 
Leaves not completely surrounding the stem . .. ... . U, Ssessilifoha 
l. U. perfoliata, L. (Fig. 5, pl. 12.) Perroxiate BELLwort. Stem 
and leaves smooth, light green. Stem forked above the middle, 6 to 18 in. 
high, often with a few leaves below the fork. Leaves penetrated by the 
stem. Flowers pale yellow, an inch or more long, drooping. Ovary with 3 
somewhat obtuse angles. Moist woods. May-June. 
2. U. grandiflora, J. E. Smith. Larcr-rLowerepD BeLtLwort. Stem 
penetrating the leaves which are downy beneath and oval or egg-shaped. 
Flowers larger than in the preceding species. Growing in similar situa- 
tions. April-June. 
