366 MELANTHACE^. 



long, somewhat clasping at base. Flowers greenish- white, in a panicle which is 

 a foot or more in length, perfect and sterile ones mixed. 



Virginian Melanthium. 



2. M. hybridum Walt. : leaves long-linear, nearly smooth, clasping the 

 stem ; panicle long, composed of simple racemes ; segments of the perianth 

 orbicular, plaited, with long claws ; glands united. M. raccmosum Mich. 



Wet meadows. N. J. to Car. W. to Miss. June, July. ^.Stem 2 feet 

 high, leafy. Flowers in a long panicle which is composed of simple racemes. 



Hybrid Melanthium. 



3. TOFIELDIA. Huds. Tofieldia. 

 (In honor of Mr. Tofield, an English botanist.) 



Perianth 6-parted, with a small 3-parted involucre. Stamens 

 6, smooth. Capsule 3 6 -celled ; cells united at base, many- 

 seeded. 



T. pubescens Pursh. : leaves subradical, narrow-ensiform, smooth ; rachis 

 and pedicels rough ; flowers in an oblong interrupted spike ; capsule glo- 

 bose, scarcely longer than the involucre. Narthecium pubens Mich. 



Swamps. Del. to Car. July. r ti r . Scape 18 inches high. Leaves a foot 

 long. Flowers greenish-white, in a racemed spike. Downy Tofieldia. 



4. XEROPHYLLUM. Mich. Xerophyllum. 



(From the Greek >?p<>?, dry, and dnAXoy, a haf; its leaves appearing as if 

 withered.) 



Perianth subrotate, deeply 6-parted. Stamens 6, contiguous 

 at base. Stigmas 3, revolute, partly united below. Capsule 

 subglobose, 3-celled ; cells 2-seeded, opening at the summit. 



X. setifolium Mich. : leaves subulate-setaceous ; flowers in a crowded 

 oblong raceme ; filaments dilated at the base, as long as the perianth. He- 

 Ionian asphflflclaidcs Linn. 



Sandy plains. N. J. to Car. June. Ij.. Scape 3 5 feet high. Radical 

 leaves forming large tufts, a foot long and very narrow. Flowers white, in a 

 large terminal raceme. Grass-leaved Xerophyllum. 



5. HELONIAS. Linn. Helonias. 

 (From the Greek *Xf, a marsh ; in allusion to its place of growth.) 



Flowers- sometimes dioacious. Perianth corolla-like, 6-parted, 

 spreading ; segments sessile and without glands. Stamens 6, 

 hypogynous and at length exceeding the perianth. Styles 3, 

 distinct. Capsule 3-celled, 3-hornea ; cells mostly few-seeded. 



1. H. latifolia Mich. : scape leafless ; spike ovate, crowded ; bracts linear- 

 lanceolate ; leaves lanceolate, mucronate, nerved. H. bullata Linn. 



Sandv swamp?. N. J. to Virg. Pursh. May. 7J.. Flovxrs pale-purple. 

 Anthers blue. Broad-leaved Helonias. 



2. H. erythrosperma Mich. stem simple, leafy ; leaves linear, very long ; 

 raceme oblong; bracts short; capsule shortened, with divaricate horns; 

 seeds ovoid, with a purple fleshy coat. Melanthium leetum Ait. 



