308 BUEMANNIACEAE 



1. MARANTA L. 



Kelatively slender caulescent herbs, not white-powdery. Flowers solitary or few 

 in panicles. Corolla-tube cylindric. Perianth mainly white. ARROW-ROOT. 



1. Maranta arundinacea L. Stems 1-2 m. tall, from scaly rootstocks : leaf- 

 blades lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 8^25 cm. long: sepals 10-12 mm. long: corolla 

 white, about 2 cm. long: staminodia surpassing the corolla: fruit about 1 cm. long. 



In moist soil and hammocks, southern peninsular Florida. Naturalized from the tropics. 



2. THALIA L. 



Kelatively stout scapose herbs, white-powdery, at least above. Flowers rather 

 numerous, in panicles. Corolla-tube wanting or obsolete: perianth mainly purple. 

 Spring to fall. 



Nodes of the inflorescence beardless. 1. T. dealbata. 



Nodes of the inflorescence bearded. 



Branches of the inflorescence erect or ascending: internodes 2-3 mm. long: 



outer bractlets 1-1.2 cm. long. 2. T. barbata. 



Branches of the inflorescence spreading or drooping: internodes 5-8 mm. long: 



outer bractlets 2-2.5 cm. long. 3. T. divaricata. 



1. Thalia dealbata Eoscoe. Leaf -blades ovate-oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 2-5 

 dm. long: scapes 10-20 dm. tall: nodes of the panicle beardless, the internodes 1-2 

 mm. long: bractlets 12-15 mm. long. 



In swamps, South Carolina and Missouri to Florida and Texas. 



2. Thalia barbata Small. Leaf -blades narrowly ovate to oblong-lanceolate, 2-4 

 dm. long: scapes 9-18 dm. tall: nodes of the panicle bearded, the internodes 2-3 mm. 

 long: bractlets 10-12 mm. long. 



In ponds and swamps, South Carolina to Florida and Texas. 



3. Thalia divaricata Chapm. Leaf -blades lanceolate, sometimes broadly so, 

 2-6 dm. long: scapes 9-30 dm. tall, widely branched above: nodes of the panicle 

 bearded, the internodes 5-8 mm. long: byctlets 20-25 mm. long. 



In ponds and low grounds, Florida. 



Order 12. ORCHIDALES. 



Terrestrial, aquatic or epiphytic herbs. Leaves usually fleshy, sometimes 

 scale-like. Flowers mostly perfect and complete, very irregular, except in 

 BURMANNIACEAE. Calyx of 3 sepals. Corolla of 3 petals. Gynoecium com- 

 pound. Ovary inferior. Seeds numerous. Endosperm wanting. 



Flowers regular: stamens and pistil distinct. Fam. 1. BURMANNIACEAE. 



Flowers irregular: stamens and pistil united into a column. Fam. 2. ORCHIDACEAE. 



FAMILY 1. BUEMANNIACEAE Blume. BURMANNIA FAMILY. 



Slight or relatively small herbs. Leaves mainly basal, those on the stem 

 scale-like. Flowers regular. Sepals and petals partially united. Androecium 

 of 3 to 6 stamens: filaments adnate to the perianth-tube. Gynoecium 3-carpel- 

 lary. Fruit capsular, sometimes angled or winged. 



Hypanthium 3-angled or 3- winged: ovary 3-celled: capsule 3-valved from the apex or irregularly 

 rupturing. 1. BURMANNIA. 



Hypanthium terete: ovary 1-celled: capsule 3-valved from the base. 2. APTERIA. 



1. BURMANNIA L. 



Annual herbs. Flowers spreading or erect, short-pedicelled, white or blue. 

 Filaments unappendaged; connective prolonged beyond anther-sacs. Spring to fall. 



Flowers 1-few, usually 2, in a terminal raceme: hypanthium broadly 3-winged. 1. B. biflora. 



Flowers several in a terminal cluster :hypanthium 3-angled. 2. B. capitata. 



1. Burmannia bifldra L. Stems 5-15 cm. tall : leaf -scales 1-3 mm. long : 

 flowers solitary at the top of the stem or 2-few together: corolla-lobes narrow: cap- 

 sules 4-5 mm. long. 



In swamps and on pond margins, Virginia to Florida and Louisiana. 



