Kinkte. CLVII. XYRIDACER. 563 
1, C. ancustirotia. Michx.? (C. erecta. Willd.) Day Flower. 
St. assurgent, branching, subgeniculate; vs. lanceolate, subpetiolate, 
sheaths split to the base; spathe broad-cordate, distinct and open at base, en- 
folding 2 peduncles and several flowers; pedicels contorted; pet. unequal, the 
lower one much smaller, unguiculate; sta. 2, perfect—Dry soils, Middle! 
Southern and Western States! Plant nearly smooth, 12—18’ high, glabrous. 
Leaves 3—5’ by 8—14”, varying from lance-linear to lance-ovate. Spathe 
veiny, 3—5-flowered. Petals deep blue. July, Aug. 
2. C. Vireinica. Linn.? (C. longifolia. Michz.) 
Sf. erect, branched at base, ciliate-pubescent; vs. lanceolate, subpetiolate, 
sheaths entire, elongated, ciliate-pilose; bracts deltoid-falcate, united and entire 
at base as if peltate, about 2-flowered ; pet. nearly equal; sta. 3, perfect.—Rocky 
woods, thickets, Penn. (MuAl.) Harper’s Ferry! to Ga. A more slender, but 
erect species, 1—2f high. Leaves 3—5’ by 6—12”, usually narrow-lanceolate, 
pilose-scabrous, the sheaths near 1’ long. Spathe broadly funnel-shaped. Pe- 
tals blue. July, Aug—WNeither of these plants agrees with the descriptions in 
the books, ; 
2, TRADESCANTIA. 
Named in honor of John Tradescant, gardener to Charles I. 
Sepals persistent ; petals large, suborbicular, spreading ; filaments 
clothed with jointed hairs; anthers reniform—% Fs. an terminal, 
close umbels, subtended by 2 or 3 long, leafy bracts. 
1. T. Viretnica. (Spider-wort. 
St. erect, simple or branched ; /vs. lance-linear, channeled above, sessile, 
glabrous; fs. in a terminal, subumbellate cluster, pedicels finally elongated and 
reflexed; cal. pubescent.—Moist meadows, prairies, &c., Middle! and Western 
States! common. Stem thick, round, jointed,2—3f high. Leaves numerous, 
subpilose, 12—18’ by 6—12”, the bracts similar. Petals large, suborbicular, 
of a deep, rich blue, soon fading. May—Aug.—The juice of the plant is viscid 
and spins into thread; hence the common name. 
B.%>(T. subaspera. Sims.?) ws. lanceolate, narrowed to the base, pilose 
both sides, sheaths entire, ciliate with long, white hairs; wmbels both axillary 
and terminal; fls. small, rose-colored.—Shady river banks, Ia.! 
2. T. rosea. Michx. 
St. erect, simple; Jvs. linear, glabrous, channeled, amplexicaul; ped. 
elongated ; cal. glabrous.——Penn. to Ga., in moist woods. Stem 8—12/ high. 
Leaves 6—8’ by 2—3’. Umbel terminal, subtended by 2 or 3 subulate bracts. 
Pedicels nearly 1’ long. Flowers much smaller than in the preceding species. 
Petals rose-colored, twice longer than the smooth calyx. May. 
Orver CLVIII. XYRIDACEA.—Xyros. 
Herbs, sedge-like, with linear or ensiform leaves. Fls. capitate at the top of a simple scape. 
Perianth 6-parted, in 2 series, sepals 3, giumaceous, petals 3, unguiculate. “he. (ments. 
Sta. 6, 3 of them with extrorse anthers and inserted on the claw of the petals, the other 3 abortive fila~ 
Ova. single. Style trifid. Stigmuas obtuse, lobed. : 
Fr.—Capsule 3-valved, 1 celled, with parietal placente, or 3-celled. 
Seeds numerous, albuminous. 
Genera 5, species 70, natives of tropical Asia, Africa and America, a few species of Xyris extending 
into the United States. Of no important use. ; ¢ Y ao 
x= YRIS. 
Gr. évpos, acute-pointed ; in allusion to the form of the leaves. 
Heads of flowers ovoid-cylindric; sepals cartilaginous; petals 
equal, ovate, crenate, with narrow claws as long as the sepals; cap- 
sule 1-celled, with parietal placente.—Lws. narrowly linear, rigid, 
radical, sheathing the base of the scape. ls. in a terminal, dense head, 
petals yellow. 
1. X. CarouiniAna. Lam. (X. Jupacai. Mz. X. flexuosa. Ell.) Yel- 
low-eyed a aoe slender, compressed and ancipitous above; lvs. 
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