MAKANTACEAE 307 



round-topped : perianth 10-12 mm. long, woolly without, yellow and glabrous within : 

 sepals linear, about as long as the hypanthium ; petals about longer than the sepals, nar- 

 rowly oblong, involute, obtuse : capsules subglobose, 5-6 mm. in diameter : seeds angled. 

 [Lachnanthes tinctoria (Walt.) Ell.] 



In swamps and wet pine lands, Massachusetts to Florida. Spring to fall. RED-ROOT. 



Order 11. SCITAMINALES. 



Large herbs, commonly perennial by rootstocks or tubers, or rarely annual. 

 Leaves sometimes all basal, with ample blades. Flowers very irregular. Peri- 

 anth often brightly colored. Gynoecium compound. Ovary inferior. Fruit a 

 capsule or utricle. Endosperm present. 



Caulescent plants : fruit capsular, 3-celled : embryo straight. FAM. 1. CANNACEAE. 



Scapose plants : fruit utricular, 1-celled : embryo hooked. FAM. 2. MARANTACEAE. 



FAMILY 1. CANNACEAE Link. CANNA FAMILY. 



Perennial herbs, with erect stems. Leaves alternate : blades thick : petioles 

 sheathing the stem. Flowers perfect, in terminal racemes or spike-like racemes. 

 Perianth usually showy, double. Sepals 3, imbricated, erect. Petals 3, more or 

 less united below into a tube and adnate to the corolloid androecium. Fila- 

 ments petal-like, the 3 exterior nearly equal, sterile, the 2 interior more or less 

 united, but only one filament anther-bearing. Anther marginal. Gynoecium 

 of 3 united carpels. Ovary 3-celled, inferior, with parietal placentae. Style 

 petal-like. Stigma marginal. Ovules numerous. Fruit a 3-celled loculicidally 

 3-valved capsule with a papillose or bristly coat. Seeds with a membranous or 

 somewhat fleshy testa. Embryo often central, sometimes flattened. Endosperm 

 horny. 



1. CANNA L. 



Characters of the family. INDIAN-SHOT. 



Petals lanceolate, 3-3.5 cm. long. 1. C. Indica. 



Petals obovate, 5-8 cm. long. 2. C. flaccida. 



1. Canna Indica L. Stems 8-16 dm. tall, commonly simple, slender : leaf-blades 

 oblong, elliptic-oblong or elliptic-ovate, 2-4 dm. long, acute or slightly acuminate, entire, 

 rounded at the base ; petioles sheathing : spikes few-flowered : sepals oblong, 3-4 cm. long, 

 acute : petals pale green or yellowish green, lanceolate, 3-3.5 cm. long : filaments bright 

 red : lip reddish yellow, spotted with red. 



On river banks, Mississippi and Texas. Naturalized from the tropics. Summer. 



2. Canna flaccida Koscoe. Stems 4-18 dm. tall, stout, commonly simple: leaf- 

 blades leathery, narrowly elliptic to oblong-elliptic or sometimes broadest above or below 

 the middle : spikes few-flowered : sepals 3, linear or oblong, 2.5-3 cm. long, acute : petals 

 yellow, obovate, 5-8 cm. long, rather large : capsule oblong, 4-6 cm. long, densely bristly : 

 seeds subglobose, about 5 mm. in diameter, coarsely reticulated except a small portion. 



In swamps near the coast, South Carolina to Florida. Spring to fall. 



FAMILY 2. MARANTACEAE Lindl. ARROWROOT FAMILY. 



Tall scapose herbs, mostly perennial by short or elongated rootstocks. 

 Leaves alternate, commonly ample : blades leathery, pinnately-nerved : petioles 

 sheathing. Flowers perfect or sometimes polygamous, in terminal spikes, 

 racemes or panicles, two commonly arising from a 2-valved, spathe-like organ 

 of 2 bracts. Gynoecium of united carpels. Ovary 1-3-celled, inferior. Style 

 slender, curved. Ovule 1 in each cavity, anatropous. Fruit a 1-3-celled utricle 

 or a utricle-like capsule. Seed solitary in each cavity, covered by the thin 

 coat. Embryo central or nearly so. 



1. THALIA L. 



Acaulescent herbs, with tall scapes, simple below the inflorescence. Leaves basal : 

 blades ample : petioles elongated, sheathing at the base. Flowers in terminal panicles, not 



