COMMELINE^E. 875 



ORDER CXXX. BROMELIACE^B. Juss. Und. 



Perianth tubular, 6-cleft, in 2 rows ; outer persistent ; in- 

 ner petaloid, withering or deciduous. Stamens 6, inserted in- 

 to the base of the segments of the perianth. Ovary free or 

 somewhat cohering-, 3-celled ; style single ; stigma 3-parted, 

 often twisted. Fruit capsular or succulent, 3-celled. Seeds 

 indefinite ; embryo cylindrical, recurved; lying in the base of 

 mealy albumen. 



Stemless or short-stemmed plants. Leaves rigid, channelled, 

 often thorny or toothed at the margin. 



1. AGAVE. Linn. 



Perianth tubular, funnel-form, adhering to the ovary, 6- 

 parted. Stamens 6, exserted. Anthers versatile. Capsule 

 ovate, attenuate at each end, obtusely triangular, 3-celled, 

 many-seeded. Hexandria. Monogynia. 



rf. virginica Linn. : stemless, herbaceous ; leaves with cartilaginous 

 serratures ; scape simple ; flowers sessile. 



HAB. Rocky banks. Penn. to Car. Sept. Z. Scape 6 feet 

 high. Flowers greenish-yellow, very fragrant. False Aloe. 



ORDER CXXXI. COMMELINE^E. Brown. Lind. 



Perianth in 2 rows ; outer herbaceous, 3-parted ; inner pe- 

 taloid, 3-parted or trifid. Stamens 6 or fewer, hypogynous, 

 some of them either deformed or abortive. Ovary 3-celled ; 

 cells few-seeded ; style 1 ; stigma 1. Capsule 2 3-celled, 

 2 3-valved, loculicide. Seeds often in pairs in each cell ; 

 hilum usually linear and lateral ; albumen densely fleshy ; em- 

 bryo pully-shaped, lying in a cavity of the albumen, and at the 

 opposite extremity from the hilum. 



Herbs. Leaves usually sheathing at the base. 



1. COMMELINA. Linn. 



Perianth in 2 rows ; outer one 3-parted, calycine ; inner 3- 

 parted, petaloid. Stamens 6, 3 4 sterile and furnislied with 

 cruciform glands. Capsule 3-celled, 3-valved; one of the 

 valves often abortive. Triandria. Monogynia. 



1. C. angustifolia Mich.: assiirgent ; slender; inner segments of 

 the perianth unequal, (one very minute) ; leaves linear-lanceolate ; 

 sheaths ciliate.; bracts peduncled, short-cordate. C. erecta Wllld, 



