308 BURMANNIACEAE 



showy. Perianth colored, double : sepals 3, equal, distinct : petals 3, distinct, somewhat 

 coherent at the base. Staminodia partially united, one broader than the rest, crested : an- 

 ther 1-celled. Ovary mainly 1-celled, with 2 small additional cavities : style spiral, adnate 

 to the stamen-tube at the base : stigma 2-lipped, with lower lip pendulous, appendaged on 

 the back. Capsule utricle-like. Seed solitary, erect. Embryo hooked, in hard endosperm. 



Nodes of the inflorescence beardless. 1. T. deafbata. 



Nodes of the inflorescence bearded. 



Branches of the inflorescence erect or ascending : internodes 2-3 mm. long : outer 



bractlets 1-1.2 cm. long. 2. T. barbata. 



Branches of the inflorescence spreading or drooping : internodes 5-8 mm long : 



outer bractlets 2-2.5 cm. long. 3. T. divancata. 



1. Thalia dealbata Roscoe. Plant white-powdery above. Leaves basal ; petioles 

 elongated, sheathing at the base ; blades oblong-ovate or oblong-lanceolate, 2-5 dm. long, 

 acute or acuminate, entire, rounded at the base : scapes erect, 10-20 dm. tall, paniculately 

 branched above, the branches surpassing the bracts ; nodes not bearded ; internodes 1-2 

 mm. long : bractlets ovate, the outer 2-15 mm. long, the inner smaller : perianth mainly 

 purple, about 1.5 cm. long : capsules globose-oval, 1 cm. long. 



In swamps, South Carolina and Missouri to Florida and Texas. Summer. 



2. Thalia barbata Small. Plant white-powdery. Leaves 2-ranked ; petioles reed- 

 like, 3-8 dm. long, sheathing below ; blades leathery, narrowly ovate to oblong-lanceolate, 

 2-4 dm. long, acute or somewhat acuminate : scapes reedrlike, 9-18 dm. tall, sparingly 

 branched above, the branches erect or ascending, short ; nodes bearded ; internodes pow- 

 dery, 2-3 mm. long: bractlets ovate, unequal, the outer 1-1.2 cm. long: perianth purple : 

 capsules oblong-oval, about 1 cm. long. 



In ponds and swamps, South Carolina to Florida and Texas. Spring to fall. 



3. Thalia divancata Chapm. Plant green below the inflorescence. Leaves 2-ranked ; 

 blades lanceolate or broadly lanceolate, 2-6 dm. long, somewhat acuminate, with many 

 lateral nerves, rounded or truncate at the base : petioles much longer than the blades : 

 scapes erect, 9-30 dm. tall, widely branching above, the branches spreading or drooping, 

 elongated : nodes of the rachis bearded ; internodes 5-8 mm. long, often pubescent : bract- 

 lets lanceolate or oblong-ovate, the outer 2-2.5 cm. long, the inner smaller : perianth pur- 

 ple : capsules oval-oblong, 8-10 mm. long. 



In ponds and low grounds, Florida. Fall. 



Order 12. ORCHIDALES. 



Terrestrial, aquatic or epiphytic herbs, sometimes with climbing steins. 

 Leaves commonly of a fleshy texture, often reduced to scales. Flowers mostly 

 perfect and complete, very irregular, or regular in BURMANNIACE^:. Perianth 

 often highly colored and showy, its parts in 3's or 6's. Gynoecium compound. 

 Ovary inferior. Seeds numerous, minute. Endosperm wanting. 



Flowers regular : stamens and pistil distinct. FAM. 1. BURMANNIACEAE. 



Flowers irregular : stamens and pistil united into a column. FAM. 2. ORCHIDACEAE. 



FAMILY 1. BURMANNIACEAE Blume. BURMANNIA FAMILY. 



Slight or relatively small caulescent herbs, with fibrous roots. Leaves 

 mainly basal, often few, mostly reduced to scales on the stems. Flowers regu- 

 lar, perfect, solitary or in terminal racemes or clusters. Perianth colored, of 3 

 sepals and 3 petals, partially united. Stamens 3 or 6, included. Filaments usu- 

 ally seated high on a tube. Anthers 2-celled: sacs opening transversely. Gynoe- 

 cium of 3 united carpels. Ovary inferior, 1-3-celled, with three central or pa- 

 rietal placentae. Styles united. Stigmas 3, sometimes almost wholly united 

 into one. Ovules numerous on each placenta. Fruit a terete, or 3-angled or 

 3-winged capsule. Seeds minute, somewhat elongated. 



Hypanthium 3-angled or 3-winged : ovary 3-celled : capsule 3-valved from the apex 



or irregularly rupturing. 1. BURMANNIA. 



Hypanthium terete : ovary 1-celled : capsule 3-valved from the base. 2. APTERIA. 



1. BURMANNIA L. 



Annual herbs, with firm erect very slender scape-like stems. Leaves mainly basal, 

 early deciduous, grass-like or these wanting, those of the stem merely alternate scales, 



