662 MELANTHACE^ VERATRUM 



grass-like leaves and perfect, polygamous or dioecious flowers 

 in terminal racemes, panicles or umbels. Perianth of 6 distinct 

 or nearly distinct mostly persistent segments. Stamens 6, 

 borne on the base of the perianth- segments. Anthers small, 

 2-celled or confluently 1-celled, cordate or reniform, mostly 

 extrorsely dehiscent. Ovary 3-celled, superior or partly inferi- 

 or, with few to numerous anatropous or ampnitropous ovules 

 in each cell. Styles 3, distinct or more or less united. Fruit 

 a mostly septicidal few- to many-seeded capsule. Seeds com- 

 monly appendaged. Embryo small, in copious albumen. 



* Leaves not rigid nor equitant : flowers usually potygamous : anth- 

 eas 1-celled, -peltate after opening. 



1 Veratrnm Stems tall and stout, from a thick rootstock: leaves broad, 



strongly nerved and plicate. 



2 Stenaiithella Stem erect, from a coated bulb : leaves linear, keeled : 



flowers in panicled racemes : perianth nodding, its segments acuminate, 

 without glands. 



3 /ygaden us Stem erect, from a coated bulb : leaves linear : inflorescence 



racemose or subpaniculate : perianth erect, the segments not acumin- 

 ate, glandular at base- 



* * Flowers perfect, on bracteolate pedicels in a simple raceme on 

 an equitant-leafy stem from a creeping rootstock: anthers 2-celled, 

 introrse: seeds numerous. 



4 Tofleldia Flowers involucrate with 3 scarious united bractlets : fila- 



ments naked; style short: capsule ovate, 3-beaked: seeds horizontal, 

 not caudate. 



5 Abama Bractlets linear : filaments woolly : style none : capsule oblong, 



attenuate upward : seeds ascending, caudate at each end. 



* * * Stems stout, very leafy, from a thick rhizome : leaves very 

 narrow, rigid and rough-margined : flowers perfect, on naked pedicels 

 in a simple dense raceme. 



6 Xerophyllum Flowers white, on long pedicels: segments 5-7-nerved : 



seeds few, not appendaged. 



1 VERATRUM L. Sp. 1044. 



Tall perennial herbs with thick rootstocks, broad strongly vein- 

 ed plicate leaves and rather large flowers in a terminal pubescent 

 panicle, the lower flowers mostly staminate only. Perianth of 6 

 distinct similar segments. Stamens free, with subulate filaments 

 and cordate confluently 1-celled anthers that are peltate after 

 opening. Ovary sessile, 3-celled. Styles distinct, stigmatic at 

 the apex. Caps*ule mernbranaceous, 3-beaked by the persistent 

 diverging styles, septicidal to the base. Seeds several in each 

 cell, ascending, compressed and margined or winged, with close 

 thin whitish testa. 



V. virida Ait. Hort, Kew. iii, 422. "*J3tems stout, 2-7 feet high, very 

 leafy: leaves broadly elliptical and acute, or the upper ones lanceolate and 

 acuminate, 3-9 inches long : branches of the simple panicle slender, more 

 or less drooping: bracts foliaceous, lanceolate, usually nearly equalling the 



