SAXIFKAGACEAE (SAXIFRAGE FAMILY) 449 



9. PARNASSIA [Tourn.] L. GRASS OP PARNASSUS 



Sepals 5, imbricated in the bud, slightly united at the base, persistent. Petals 

 6, spreading, imbricated in the bud ; a more or less cleft gland-bearing scale 

 at the base of each. Stamens 5, alternate with the petals, persistent. Ovary 

 1-celled, with 4 projecting parietal placentae ; stigmas 4, sessile. Capsule 

 4-valved, the valves bearing the placentae on their middle. Seeds very numer- 

 ous, anatropous. Embryo straight; cotyledons very short. Perennial smooth 

 herbs, with entire leaves, and solitary flowers on long scape-like stems, which 

 often bear a single sessile leaf. Petals white, with greenish or yellowish veins. 

 (Named from Mount Parnassus.) 



Calyx-lobes elongate, herbaceous throughout, ascending In fruit; scales dilated 



below, 5-oo -cleft about to the middle. 

 Leaves gradually tapering at base ; petals elliptic-oblong . . . .1. P. parviflora. 



Leaves cordate ; petals ovate 2. P. palustrit. 



"Calyx-lobes short-oblong, firm, with scarious margins, reflexed in fruit ; scales 



3-cleft to the base. 

 Petals sessile. 



Scales shorter than or barely equaling the stamens . . . . . 8. P. caroliniana. 



Scales much exceeding the stamens 4. P. grandifolia. 



Petals abruptly contracted into a claw 5. P. asari/olia. 



1. P. parvifl6ra DC. Scapes 0.5-3 dm. high, slightly angled; leaves ovate 

 or oblong, slender-petioled ; petals 5-8 mm. long, slightly exceeding the calyx- 

 lobes ; scales mostly 6-7 -cleft; capsule with thin firm walls. Meadows, wet 

 rocks, etc., Nfd. to Alaska, s. to Cape Breton I., Mich., Wise., S. Dak., and 

 Utah. July, Aug. 



2. P. palustris L. Scapes subterete, 0.5-4 dm. high ; leaves firm, cordate- 

 ovate, slender-petioled ; petals 10-13 mm. long, much exceeding the calyx-lobes ; 

 scales mostly 9-15-de/Z. Lab. to Alaska, locally s. to e. Que., Mich., Minn., 

 N. Dak., and Wyo. July, Aug. (Eurasia.) 



3. P. caroliniana Michx. Scapes 1.5-6 dm. high ; leaves coriaceous, ovate 

 to orbicular, often subcordate ; petals ovate-oblong, 10-18 mm. long, uiany- 

 veined, twice or thrice exceeding the scales. Swamps or wet mostly calcareous 

 rocks, somewhat local. Aug., Sept. 



4. P. grandifblia DC. Similar but stouter, with larger leaves and flowers ; 

 gland-tipped cilia filiform, much exceeding the stamens and nearly equaling the 

 petals. Mts., Va. to Fla. and Mo. (according to V7heelock). Aug., Sept. 



5. P. asarifblia Vent. Scapes angled, 2-5 dm. high ; leaves coriaceous, 

 reniform, the basal slender-petioled ; petals oblong-elliptic, 10-18 mm. long, 

 many-veined ; scales mostly shorter than the stamens. Bogs, wet rocks, etc., 

 mts. from Va. southw. Aug. -Oct. 



10. PHILADELPHIA L. MOCK ORANGE OR STRINOA 



Calyx-tube top-shaped ; the limb 4-5-parted, spreading, persistent, valvate in 

 the bud. Petals rounded or obovate, large. Styles united below or nearly to 

 the top ; stigmas oblong or linear. Capsule 3-5-celled, splitting at length into 

 as many pieces. Seeds very numerous, with a loose membranaceous coat pro- 

 longed at both ends. Shrubs, with opposite often toothed leaves, no stipules, 

 and solitary or cymose-clustered showy white flowers. (An ancient name, 

 applied by Linnaeus to this genus for no obvious reason.) 



1. P. inoddrus L. Glabrous; leaves ovate or ovate-oblong, pointed, entire 

 or with some spreading teeth ; flowers single or few at the ends of the diverging 

 branches, pure white, scentless ; calyx-lobes acute, scarcely longer than the 

 tube. Mts. of Va. to Ga. and Ala. ; sometimes established north w. 



2. P. grandiflbrus Willd. A tall shrub, like the last, but somnrhat pubescent, 

 with long and recurved branches, larger flowers, and the calyx-lobes long and 

 taper-pointed. Along streams, Va. to Fla. Often cultivated. 



P. CORONARIUS L. , the common MOCK ORANGE or SYRINGA of cultivation, 

 from s. Eu., with racemose cream-colored odorous flowers, sometimes escape* 



GRAY'S MANUAL 29 



