500 SAXIFKAGACEAE 



filaments elongated : anthers cordate. Ovary partly inferior. Carpels 2-3, more or less 

 united . Ovules numerous in each cavity, on axile placentae. Fruit of 2-3 carpels. Seeds 

 small, usually numerous. Testa membranous. FALSE GOAT'S-BEARD. 



Leaflets sharply toothed or lobed : fruit 4 mm. high. 1. A. biternata. 



Leaflets crenately toothed or lobed : fruit 3 mm. high. 2. A. crenatilobata. 



1. Astilbe biternata (Vent.) Britton. Foliage bright green. Stem 1-2 m. tall, 

 branching or sometimes simple : leaves ample ; blades mostly thrice ternate, longer than 

 the petioles ; leaflets acuminate, sharply serrate or incised, often lobed, cordate at the base, 

 the lateral ones oblong to ovate, the terminal ones oval to suborbicular in outline, sharply 

 3-lobed, all sparingly pubescent beneath : panicle 1-3 dm. long, finely glandular-pilose : 

 sepals ovate, less than 1 mm. long, obtuse : petals narrowly spatulate, 2-3.5 mm. long, 

 shorter or wanting in the perfect flowers : fruit oblong-ovoid, 4 mm. high, the follicles 

 distinct. \_A. decandra D. Don.] 



In rich woods in and near the mountains, Virginia to Tennessee, and Georgia. Spring. 



2. Astilbe crenatilobata (Britton) Small. Foliage deep green. Stem about 1 m. 

 tall, more or less branched : leaves ample ; blades thrice ternate ; petioles usually shorter 

 than the blades ; leaflets thin, crenately toothed or lobed, the teeth or lobes apiculate, the 

 lateral leaflets ovate or oval, cordate at the base, the terminal leaflet, ovate or suborbicular 

 in outline, usually 3-lobed, cordate or acute at the base : fruit ovoid, 3 mm. high, the 

 follicles distinct. [-4. decandra crenatilobata Britton.] 



In deep woods, North Carolina. Summer. 



2. THEROFON Raf. 



Perennial caulescent herbs, with glandular-pubescent foliage. Leaves alternate, chiefly 

 basal : blades suborbicular, toothed, lobed or cleft, petioled, with narrow sometimes cleft 

 stipules. Flowers perfect, white, in terminal panicles or corymbose cymes. Sepals 5, 

 valvate. Petals 5, surpassing the sepals, deciduous. Stamens 5, inserted near the sepals. 

 Ovary 2-3-celled, partly inferior : styles 2-3, short. Ovules numerous, borne on axile 

 placentae. Capsule urn-shaped or subglobose, erect or drooping, opening between the 

 styles. Seeds minute, numerous, the coat somewhat punctate. [Jloykinia Kutt.] 



1. Therofon aconitif61ium ( Nutt. ) Millsp. Stem erect, 2-10 dm. tall, simple below : 

 leaves alternate ; blades suborbicular or reniform in outline, 4-18 cm. broad, palmately 

 5-7-lobed, the lobes incised -serrate or lobed, the segments acute ; petioles glandular-pilose, 

 the lower ones longer than the blades, the upper shorter : bracts leaf-like, incised : corymb 

 glandular-pubescent : sepals 5, triangular-ovate or broadly lanceolate, acute, glandular- 

 ciliate, longer than the hypanthium during anthesis : corolla white, 5-7 mm. broad : petals 

 3-3.5 mm. long, eroded ; blades oval, narrowed into short claws : capsules 3-4 mm. long, 

 adnate to the hypanthium up to the distinct beaks : seeds 0.5 mm. long, black. 



In and along streams chiefly on mountain slopes, Virginia to North Carolina, Tennessee and 

 Georgia. Spring and summer. 



3. MICRANTHES Haw. 



Perennial scapose herbs, with short rootstocks and glabrous or glandular-pubescent 

 foliage. Leaves basal : blades thick, entire or variously toothed, mostly petioled. 

 Flowers perfect, in terminal panicled or head-like cymes. Sepals 5. Corolla regular : 

 petals 5, equal or nearly so, scarcely clawed. Stamens 10 : filaments subulate or club- 

 shaped. Carpels normally 2, slightly united below : styles erect or recurved. Ovules 

 numerous. Follicles 2, more or less narrowed above, often diverging. Seeds variously 

 roughened. SAXIFRAGE. MOUNTAIN LETTUCE. 



Filaments subulate or filiform-subulate. 



Sepals 1.5-4.5 mm. long : petals oblong, elliptic, oval or suborbicular. 

 Petals oblong, oval or suborbicular, whollv white. 



Petals over twice as long as wide, much longer than the sepals : ped- 

 icels pubescent. 1. M. Virginiensis. 

 Petals less than twice as long as wide, slightly surpassing the sepals : 



pedicels glabrous. 2. M. Texana. 



Petals lanceolate, each with 2 yellow spots. 3. M. Teniiesseensis, 



Sepals 1 mm. long : petals elliptic. 4. M. Careyana. 



Filaments club-shaped. 



Petals with 2 yellow spots, ovate or oblong-ovate : follicles 4-6 mm. long. 5. M. Grayana. 



Petals white throughout, oblong : follicles 7-8 mm. long. 6. M. micranthidifolia. 



