252 MELANTHACEAE 



and petals narrow, acuminate, glandless, persistent. Stamens 6 : filaments shorter than the 

 sepals and petals. Ovary 3-celled : styles 3, spreading or recurving at maturity. Ovules 

 few in each cavity. Capsule oblong or ovoid, erect or reflexed, the carpels tipped by the 

 recurving styles. Seeds about 4 in each cavity, angled. 



Perianth usually white : capsules deflexed, about 8 mm. long. 1. S. gramineum. 



Perianth usually green : capsules erect, fully 10 mm. long. 2. S. robiistum. 



1. Stenanthium gramineum (Ker) Morong. Stems 8-15 dm. tall, terete, rather 

 slender, simple to the inflorescence : leaf -blades linear, curved, 2-6 dm. long, shorter above, 

 acute, mostly less than 10 mm. broad : branches of the panicles spreading or ascending : 

 pedicels 1-3 mm. long : perianth white : sepals and petals lanceolate, 6-7 mm. long, irreg- 

 ularly spreading, acuminate : capsules conic, about 8 mm. long, deflexed. [Stenanthium an- 

 gustifolium Kunth.] 



In open woods, Virginia to Kentucky, Florida and Alabama. Summer and fall. 



2. Stenanthium robustum S. Wats. Stems stout, 8-16 dm. tall, simple to the in- 

 florescence : leaves rather numerous ; blades linear, 2-7 dm. long, or shorter above, acute, 

 lower ones usually over 10 rnm. broad : panicle many-flowered, the branches mostly numer- 

 ous : perianth green : sepals and petals linear-lanceolate, 5-6 mm. long, acuminate : cap- 

 sules oblong-ovoid, fully 10 mm. long, erect. 



In swamps, Pennsylvania and Ohio to South Carolina and Tennessee. Summer and fall. 



11. OCEANOROS Small. 



Glabrous caulescent herbs, with fibrous-coated bulb-like rootstocks. Leaves alternate, 

 mainly basal or on the lower part of the stem, the outer ones bladeless fibrous sheathing 

 scales : blades narrow and elongated, successively shorter above. Flowers in terminal pan- 

 icles, polygamous, the lower ones of each raceme fertile. Perianth cream-colored or deeper 

 yellow : sepals and petals with a thick yellow gland, broadest about the middle or above 

 it. Stamens 6 : filaments filiform, shorter than the sepals and petals. Ovary 3-celled, the 

 carpels united to the styles. Ovules several in each cavity. Capsule conic, erect, the 

 carpels tipped by the erect or ascending styles. Seeds few in each cavity, winged at the 

 apex. 



1. Oceanoros leimanthoides (A. Gray) Small. Stems 5-12 dm. tall, paniculate at 

 the top : leaf -blades linear, flattish, 1-6 dm. long, finely ribbed at maturity : panicle pyra- 

 midal, 1-3 dm. long, the branches ascending or spreading : pedicels much longer than the 

 subtending bracts : perianth cream-colored or yellowish : sepals and petals oblong or ob- 

 long-obovate, 4-5 mm. long, obtuse, the basal gland merging into the surrounding tissues : 

 capsules conic, 8-9 mm. long, much surpassing the perianth. [Zygadenus leimanthoides (A. 

 Gray) S. Wats.] 



In wet soil near the coast, New Jersey to Georgia, and in the mountains of Virginia, North 

 Carolina and Tennessee. Summer. 



12. TOXICOSCORDION Kydb. 



Glabrous caulescent herbs, with bulb-like rootstocks. Leaves alternate, mainly basal : 

 blades narrow, more or less conduplicate. Flowers perfect, in terminal racemes or pan- 

 icles. Perianth white or yellowish : sepals and petals 3 each, often clawed, each bearing 

 an obovate or half-orbicular gland at or near the base of the blade. Stamens 6 : filaments 

 commonly adnate to the base of the claws. Ovary 3-celled, wholly superior. Ovules nu- 

 merous. Capsule 3-celled, 3-beaked, septicidal. Seeds numerous. 



Sepals and petals without claws ; gland obovate : filaments free. 1. T. Nuttallii. 



Sepals and petals with claws ; gland half-orbicular : filaments slightly adnate to the base 



of the claws. 2. T, Texmse. 



1. Toxicoscordion Nuttallii (A. Gray) Rydb. Stems 3-7 dm. tall, racemose or 

 paniculate above : leaf-blades linear, 1-5 dm. long or shorter above, involute, more or less 

 curved, the upper with sheaths : raceme or panicle narrow, 5-30 cm. long, open at 

 maturity : pedicels slender, longer than the subtending bracts : perianth whitish yellow : 

 sepals and petals ovate-oval, clawless, obtuse or notched at the apex, 6-8 mm. long, the 



f lands obovate, merging into the surrounding tissues: capsules conic, 8-12 mm. long. 

 Zygadenus Nuttallii (A. Gray) S. Wats.] 



On prairies, Kansas to Tennessee and Texas. Spring. 



2. Toxicoscordion Texense Eydb. Stems 3-4 dm. tall : leaf-blades narrowly linear, 

 1-3 dm. long, or the upper shorter, conduplicate and somewhat curved, the upper sheathless : 



