38 CASUARINACEAE. 



stem at the apex. Flowers nodding, subtended by often lanceolate bracts. 

 Perianth usually showy. Lateral sepals narrow and elongate, usually attenu- 

 ate, resembling the median one. Petals usually slightly shorter than the 

 sepals. Lip much shorter than the sepals and petals; blade very broad, 

 clamshell-like, entire. Column partly adnate to the lip. Capsules drooping, 

 wing-angled. 



1. A. cochleatum (L.) Hoffmg. Plants 2-5 dm. tall: leaf -blades linear or 

 nearly so, 1.5-4 dm. long: flower-stem simple: lateral sepals 25-30 mm. long, 

 linear-lanceolate and attenuate : lip brown or purplish ; blade orbicular-reni- 

 form, 16-20 mm. long, entire, abruptly pointed: capsule-body 20-30 mm. 

 long. — Hammocks, U. keys. — [E. K.] — {Bah., Cuba, Ant.) 



7. BLETIA E. & P. Caulescent herbs with corms. Leaves several 

 from the top of the corm, mostly persisting until after the lateral flower-stem 

 arises. Raceme loosely flowered. Perianth mainly pink or purplish. Lateral 

 sepals slightly inequilateral. Petals nearly or quite similar to the lateral 

 sepals. Lip wide, crested, 3-lobed, the middle lobe crisped. Capsules mostly 

 erect. 



1. B. purpurea (Lam.) DC. Leaf -blades broadly linear to linear-elliptic, 

 1.5-3.5 dm. long, attenuate: flower-stem 3-11 dm. tall: lateral sepals oblong- 

 ovate to broadly oblong, 11-16 mm. long, abruptly acuminate: petals oval 

 or ovate-oval, barely as long as the sepals: lip 11-15 mm. long, with a broad 

 base, ear-like lateral lobes and a crisped and crested middle lobe: capsule 3-4 

 cm. long. — Pinelands, L. keys. — [E. K.]—{Bah., Cuba, Ant.) 



Subclass 2. DICOTYLEDONES. 



Stems consisting of pith, wood, and bark (endogenous in rare 

 cases). Early leaves opposite. 



Series 1. CHORIPETALAE. 



Petals separate and distinct from eacli other, or wanting. 



Order CASUARINALES. 



Shrubs or trees, with loosely jointed branches resembling stems of 

 Equisetum. Leaves reduced to scales, wborled at the nodes and decurrent 

 on the intemodes. Flowers monoecious, the staminate in slender terminal 

 spikes with imbricate bracts, often with a postei'ior and anterior perianth- 

 part, 1 stamen with a large antber. Pistillate flowers in dense spikes or 

 cones: perianth wanting: ovary 1-eelled: stj'le-brancbes slender. Fruit an 

 aggregate of winged achenes. 



Family 1. CASUARINACEAE. Beepwood Family. 



Stems with more or less wborled bi-aiicbos. Staminate spikes long- 

 stalked. Pistillate spikes sbort-stalked. Gynoeeium 2-carpcllary. 



1. CASUARINA Adans. Stem clothed with a smooth or smoothish bark, 

 except when very old. Stamens with long filaments and short anthers. 

 Stigmas elongate. Fruiting spike compact. 



