142 DIOSCOREACEAE 
bel-like clusters, yellow or white. Perianth segments 6, adherent 
to the ovary. Stamens, in our species, 6. Ovary 3-celled, each 
cell with many seeds. 
1. HYPOXIS: 
Low herbs arising from short rootstocks not unlike bulbs. Leaves all 
from the rootstock, grass-like. Flowers star-shaped, green on the out- 
side, yellow within, the few-flowered cluster terminal to a naked scape. 
Below the flower cluster are 2 lance-shaped bracts. 
1. H. hirsuta, (L.) Coville. (Fig. 4, pl. 16.) Star Grass. Leaves 
all from the root. Flower stem generally not as long as the grass-like 
leaves. Whole plant hairy. Flowers 2 to 6 in the group. Stem 3 to 10 
in. high. Dry woods throughout our region. May-Oct. 
2, LOPHIOLA, Ker. 
Erect herb arising from a slender rootstock. Leaves grass-like, mostly 
from the root but found sparingly on the flower stem. The spreading 
cluster is compound, a dozen to 20 flowers in the group, the flower branch- 
lets being subtended by 2 lance-shaped bracts. Capsule ovoid. 
1. L. americana, (Pursh.) A. Wood. lLopniota. GoLpEN CREST 
FLower. Perianth segments woolly. Stem 1 to 2 ft. high, when young 
covered with whitish woolly hairs. Root leaves smooth, narrow and 
long, those from the stem shorter. Flowers yellow within and woolly, 
greenish on the outside. Bogs, New Jersey and southward. June-Aug. 
FAMILY V.—DIOSCOREACEAE. Yam FAMILY 
Twining shrubs with alternate heart-shaped leaves. Staminate 
and pistillate flowers on different plants or the two kinds on the 
same plant. Perianth of 6 segments, adherent to the ovary. In 
the staminate flowers the stamens are inserted into the base of the 
perianth segments. Both kinds of flowers in long slender clus- 
ters. Leaves at lower part of stem in whorls of 4s; above, alter- 
nate, each with about 9 conspicuous nerves. Styles 3, ovary 
3-celled, winged. 
1. DIOSCOREA, L. 
A twining vine in woods and thickets, mostly clinging to trees. Leaves 
egg-shaped, with slender pointed outer extremities, on long slender leaf 
stalk. 
D. villosa, L. (Fig. 5, pl. 15.) Witp Yam-root. Mostly in the 
southern part of our region. June-July. 
Famity VI.—IRIDACEAE. Iris Famity 
Perennial herbs, in wet or moist grounds. Leaves linear, erect, 
in two ranks. Perianth of 6 segments, in Gemmingia and Sisy- 
Tinchium alike, in Iris the 3 inner segments smaller than the 
