194 



il. Flowers perfect ; stamens four ; corolla not closed over fruit; seeds oval in 

 cross section. 

 •* Leaves broadly ovate, strongly veined ; petioles long, Hat and chan- 

 nelled. 



t Leaves and scape glabrous; seeds light brown. 



1. P. cordata Lam. — 150 mm. to 300 mm. high ; leaves round ovate, 

 glabrous, seven or nine veined, more or less cordate at the base, margins entire or 

 slightly toothed; petioles smooth, long, flat, channelled; spike long, cylindrical, 

 looosely flowered, lower ones scattered with round, ovate bracts ; scape smooth, 

 150 mm. to 450 mm. long; corolla longer than the calyx (Plate I); capsule 

 twice as long as the calyx, two-celled, from two to four-seeded ; ripe seeds light 

 brown, surface dull, minutely striate longitudinally, cross section oval (Plate A, 

 Fig. 1|; longitudinal section oval (Plate D, Fig. 1); size H mm. x 3 mm.; hilum 

 at center of seed. 



Found in low ground and along streams from Xew York to Missouri and 

 southward. 



Specimens' examined: Chicago, Illinois (Brendol, National Herbarium); 

 Allenton, Missouri (G. W. Letterman, 1882, National Herbarium) ; Winnetka, 

 Illinois (Alton Collection, May 10, 1891, Herbarium of the L^niversity of Minne- 

 sota); Alma, Michigan (C. A. Davis, May 29, 1893, Herbarium of the University 

 of Minnesota; Alexandria,Virgiuia ( Prof. Comstock, 1881, National Herbarium); 

 Tippecanoe County, Indiana (Hussey, Herbarium of Purdue University); Hub- 

 bardston, Michigan (C. F. Wheeler, May, 187t'>, Herbarium of J. M. Coulter). 

 tt Leaves and scape glabrous or slightly hairy ; seeds black. 



2. P. major L. — 75 mm. to 350 mm. high ; leaves broadly ovate or oblong, 

 smooth or slightly hairy, Ave or seven nerved, margins entire or slightly toothed, 

 abruptly narrowed into a flat, channelled petiole; spike 47 j mm. to 200 mm. 

 long, cylindrical, obtuse at apex, densely flowered; bracts ovate; scape 125 mm. 

 to 400 mm. long, smooth or sparingly hairy, round; sepals round, ovate, obtuse, 

 not carinate ( Plate 2) ; capsule short, ovoid, slightly longer than the calyx, cir- 

 cumcissile at the middle, eight-18-seeded; ripe seeds black, angled, surface 

 glossy, minutely granular, granules irregularly arranged, cross section oval ^Plate 

 A, Fig. 2); longitudinal section oval (Plate D, Fig. 2); size | mm. x | mm.; 

 hilum at center of seed. 



An exceptional form of P. major found at St. Paul, Minnesota (Herbarium 

 of the University of Minnesota), has a leafy spike. .Just below each seed is a 

 leaf. These leaves are of considerable size at the base of the spike, but become 

 gradually smaller toward the apex. 



Grows in moist places from Delaware to California and northward. 



