486 MELAXTHACE^E. (COLCHICUM FAMILY.) 



3, distinct or more or less united. Fruit a capsule or berry. Seeds 

 anatropous. Embryo minute, in copious albumen. 



Synopsis. 



SUBORDER I. UVULARIE M. (THE BELLWORT FAMILY.) Feri- 

 anth corolla-like, bell-shaped, the divisions distinct and deciduous. Styles 

 partly or wholly united. Fruit a few-seeded capsule or berry. Stems 

 forking and leafy above, sheathed below. Leaves ovate or lanceolate, 

 sessile or clasping. Flowers perfect, solitary, nodding. 



1. UVULARIA. Fruit a 3-lobed loculicidal capsule. Flowers on short lateral branches. 



2. PROSARTES. Fruit a 3 - 6-seeded berry. Flowers terminal, on straight peduncles. 



3. STREPTOPUS. Fruit a many -seeded berry. Flowers axillary, on bent peduncles. 



SUBORDER II. MELANTHIE/E. (THE COLCHICUM FAMILY.) 

 Perianth spreading ; the divisions mostly distinct, often clawed, withering- 

 persistent. Styles separate. Fruit a 3-celled capsule. Stems leafy at 

 the base, simple or branched. Flowers in racemes or panicles, sometimes 

 polygamous or dioecious. 



* Anther-cells confluent. 



*- Leaves of the perianth biglandular near the base. 



4. MELANTHIUM. Flowers polygamous. Filaments partly adhering to the claws of the 



perianth. 



5. ZIGADENUS. Flowers perfect. Filaments free from the perianth. 



t- <- Leaves of the perianth glandless. 



6. STENANTHIUM. Leaves of the perianth lanceolate, acute, coherent with the base of the 



ovary, longer than the stamens 



7. VERATRUM. Leaves of the perianth oblong or obovate, free from the ovary, longer than 



the stamens and short styles. Flowers polygamous. 



8. AMIANTHIUM. Leaves of the perianth obovate, free, shorter than the stamens and 



slender styles. Flowers perfect, racemed. 



9. SCH(ENOCAULOX. Leaves of the perianth oblong, shorter than the stamens, much 



longer than the very short styles. Flowers perfect, spiked. 



* * Anther-cells distinct 

 * Capsule loculicidal 



10. XEROPHYLLUM. Flowers perfect. Capsule 6-seeded. Radical leaves grass-like. 



11. CHAM^LIRIUM. Flowers dioecious. Capsule many-seeded. Radical leaves obovate. 



*- -i- Capsule septicidal. Leaves equitant. Anthers introrse. 



12. PLEEA. Stamens 9-12. Anthers versatile. Bracts spathe-like. 

 la TOFIELDIA. Stamens 6. Anthers erect. Bracts short. 



1. UVULARIA, L. BELLWORT. 



Perianth bell-shaped, corolla-like, the divisions distinct, grooved at the base 

 within, deciduous. Filaments short: anthers linear, adnate. Style deeply 3- 

 oleft : stigmas spreading. Capsule 3-lobed or 3-angled, loculicidally 3-valved at 

 the apex. Seeds few, obovoid. half encircled by the tumid raphe. Low herbs, 



