MELANTHACEAE 249 



1. Triantha glutinpsa (Michx. ) Baker. Foliage viscid-pubescent. Stems erect, 1.5- 

 5 dm. tall : leaf-blades linear, 5-20 cm. long, or shorter above, acute : panicles cylindric, 

 2-4 cm. long, soon somewhat interrupted : pedicels ascending, 3-10 mm. long, often 3 or 

 4 together : sepals and petals whitish, oblong or spatulate-oblong, 2.5-4 mm. long, obtuse, 

 membranous : capsules oblong, 6-7 mm. long, about twice as long as the perianth. 



In bogs, Newfoundland to Alaska, Maine, and in the Alleghenies to North Carolina, to Ohio, Wyo- 

 ming and Oregon. Spring. 



2. Triantha racemoea (Walt.) Small. Pubescent like the preceding. Stems 3- 

 9 dm. tall, simple : leaf-blades narrowly linear, 1-5 dm. long, firm, acuminate : panicles 

 2-10 cm. long, soon interrupted : pedicels ascending, 1-4 mm. long, often 3 together : 

 sepals and petals whitish, narrowly oblong or oblong-spatulate, fully 3-4 mm. long, firm : 

 capsules oval, shorter than the perianth. [Tofieldw, pubens (Michx. ) Ait. f.] 



In swamps and low ground, New Jersey to Florida and Louisiana. Spring to fall. 



3. PLEEA Michx. 



Rigid herbs, with slender rootstocks. Stems upright. Leaves mainly basal : blades 

 narrow, sword-like, striate. Flowers perfect, in simple racemes. Bracts spathe-like, clasp- 

 ing. Perianth white within : sepals and petals 6, rigid, spreading, distinct, persistent. 

 Stamens 9-12, shorter than the perianth : filaments slender : anthers introrse, versatile ; 

 sacs distinct at the base. Ovary 3-celled : styles 3, short. Ovules numerous in each cavity. 

 Capsule leathery, separating into 3 carpels. Seeds bristle-tipped. 



1. Pleea tenuifolia Michx. Plant rush-like. Stems 3-8 dm. tall, simple, rather rigid : 

 leaf-blades erect or ascending, narrowly linear, 1-2.5 dm. long, firm, attenuate, those of the 

 stem few, similar but smaller : raceme 3-9-flowered, interrupted : bracts appressed, rigid, 

 1.5-2 cm. long, acuminate, partially imbricated : perianth 2-2.5 cm. broad : sepals and 

 petals linear or linear-lanceolate, firm, acuminate : capsules erect, 6-9 mm. long, as long 

 as the perianth or nearly so. 



In pine-land swamps, South Carolina to Florida. Fall. 



4. XEROFHYLLUM Michx. 



Rigid herbs, with short woody rootstocks. Stems leafy, simple. Leaves numerous : 

 blades sessile, slender, elongated, wire-like, spreading, rough-margined. Raceme simple, 

 with ascending or erect pedicels. Flowers perfect. Perianth white or cream-colored : 

 sepals and petals 5-7-nerved, glandless, persistent. Stamens 6, not surpassing the perianth : 

 filaments subulate : anthers 2-celled ; sacs extrorsely dehiscing. Ovary 3-celled : styles 3, 

 distinct. Ovules 2-4 in each cavity. Capsule little elongated, if at all, 3-celled, loculi- 

 cidal and also septicidal. Seeds usually 6, unappendaged or nearly so. 



1. Xerophyllum asphodeloides ( L. ) Nutt. Rootstock large and very hard. Stems 

 6-15 dm. tall, rigid : leaves very numerous, densely crowded at the base of the stern ; 

 blades narrowly linear, rigid, 1-5 dm. long or much shorter above on the stem, long-atten- 

 uate : racemes usually many-flowered, 5-15 cm. long, conic while in flower : pedicels 

 slender, ascending or erect at maturity, 1.5-2 cm. long : perianth white : sepals and petals 

 ovate or oblong-ovate, 5-6 mm. long, obtuse : capsules oval-ovoid, 4-5 mm. long. 



In pine lands, New Jersey to Florida and on mountain slopes and summits, North Carolina and 

 Tennessee. Spring and summer. TURKEY-BEARD. 



5. CHAMAELIRIUM Willd. 



Glabrous fleshy caulescent herbs, with bitter aromatic rootstocks. Leaf -blades various : 

 basal broadened upward, the cauline narrowed upward or linear above, all thickish. Flowers 

 dioecious. Racemes elongated, slender, simple, spike-like. Perianth white : sepals and 

 petals narrow, 1-nerved, nearly equal, distinct. Stamens 6, much reduced in pistillate 

 flowers : filaments filiform : anthers 2-celled Ovary 3-celled. Ovules 6-12 in each cavity. 

 Staminodia commonly 6 in the pistillate flowers. Capsule somewhat elongated, 3-sided, 

 3-celled. Seeds 6-12 in each cavity, winged, broadly so at each end. BLAZING-STAR. 

 DEVIL'S BIT. 



Capsules oblong or ovoid-oblong, 7-10 mm. long. 1. C. luteum. 



Capsules obovoid or oblong-obovoid, 12-14 mm. long. 2. C. obovale. 



1. Chamaelirium luteum (L.) A. Gray. Stems 2-12 dm. tall, those of staminate 

 plants shorter than those of the pistillate, simple : leaves mainly basal ; blades spatulate or 

 oblong-spatulate, 5-20 cm. long, tapering into broad petioles ; stem-leaves usually oblanceo- 



