285 



adhering to their claws often to near the summit, persistent. Anthers heart- 

 shaped or kidney-shaped, confluently 1-celled, shield-shaped after opening, 

 extrorse. Capsule ovoid-conical, 3-lobed, of 3 inflated inembranaceous several- 

 seeded carpels ; seeds flat, broadly winged. Stems tall and leafy, from a thick 

 rootstock, roughish-downy above, as well as the open and ample pyramidal pan- 

 icle (composed chiefly of simple racemes), the terminal part mostly fertile. 

 Leaves linear to oblanceolate or oval, not plaited. (Name composed of jtAas, 

 black, and &v6os, flower, from the darker color which the persistent perianth 

 assumes after blossoming.) 



* Perianth-divisions with a conspicuous double gland at the summit of the claw. 



1. M. virginicum L. (BUNCH-FLOWER.) Stem 8-10 dm. high, leafy, rather 

 slender; leaves linear (1-3 cm. wide); divisions of the perianth flat, ovate to 

 oblong or slightly hastate (5-8 mm. long); capsule 1.4 cm. long ; seeds 10 in 

 each cell, 4-6 mm. long. Wet meadows, " R. I.," N. Y. to Minn., Tex., and 

 Ga. 



2. M. latifblium Desr. Leaves more oblanceolate, often 5 cm. broad ; divi- 

 sions of the perianth undulate (5 mm. long), the very narrow claw nearly 

 equaling the orbicular or ovate blade ; capsule 12-16 mm. long, on pedicels 

 8-18 mm. in length ; seeds 4-8 in each cell, 6-8 mm. long. (M. racemosum 

 Michx.) Ct. to S. C. 



Var. longipedicellatum A. Brown. Leaves somewhat narrower ; pedicels 

 2-2.5 cm. long. Wooded slopes, w. Va. (Judge Brown). 



* * Perianth-divisions oblanceolate, without glands. 



3. M. parviflbrum (Michx.) Wats. Stem rather slender (0.6-1.6 m. high), 

 sparingly leafy, naked above ; leaves oval to oblanceolate (5-10 cm. wide), on 

 long petioles ; perianth-divisions 4-6 mm. long, oblanceolate or spatulate, those 

 of the sterile flowers on claws ; stamens very short ; capsule 1.6 cm. long ; 

 seeds 4-6 in each cell, 5mm. long. (Veratrum Michx.) In the Alleghenies, 

 Va. to S. C. 



10. VERATRUM [Tourn.] L. FALSE HELLEBORE 



Perianth of 6 spreading and separate obovate-oblong (greenish or brownish) 

 divisions, more or less contracted at the base (but not clawed), nearly free from 

 the ovary, not gland-bearing. Filaments free from and shorter than the sepals, 

 recurving. Anthers, pistils, fruit, etc. , nearly as in Melanthium. Somewhat . 

 pubescent perennials, with simple stems from a thickened base producing coarse 

 fibrous roots (very poisonous), 3-ranked plaited and strongly veined leaves, 

 and racemed-panicled dull or dingy flowers ; in summer. (Name from vere, 

 truly, and ater, black.) 



1. V. vlride Ait. (AMERICAN WHITE HELLEBORE, INDIAN POKE.) Stem 

 stout, very leafy to the top (6-20 dm. high); leaves broadly oval, pointed, 

 sheath-clasping ; panicle pyramidal, the dense spike-like racemes spreading; 

 perianth yellowish-green, moderately spreading, the segments ciliate-serrulate ; 

 ovary glabrous ; capsule many-seeded. Swamps and low grounds. 



2. V. Woodii Robbins. Stem slender, sparingly leafy (8-14 dm. high); 

 leaves oblanceolate, only the lowest sheathing ; panicle very narrow ; perianth 

 greenish-purple, with entire segments; ovary tomentose, soon glabrate ; capsule 

 few-seeded. Woods and hilly barrens, s. Ind. to Mo. 



11. UVULARIA L. BELLWORT 



Perianth narrowly bell-shaped, lily-like, deciduous ; the 6 divisions spatulate- 

 lanceolate, acuminate, obtusely gibbous at base, with a deep honey-bearing 

 groove within bordered on each side by a callus-like ridge. Stamens much 

 shorter, barely adherent to their base. Capsule truncate, coriaceous, 3-lobed, 

 loculicidal at the summit. Seeds few in each cell, obovoid, with a thin white 

 aril. Steins terete, from a short rootstock with fleshy roots, naked or scaly at 

 base, forking above, bearing oblong perfoliate flat and membranace >us leaves 



