PONTKDKRIACE.E. (PICKKKKL-WEED FAMILY.) 535 



many-flowered; flowers perfect ; sepals nearly free (Y long), ovate, becoming 

 lance-ovate, with a short claw. — Grassy low grounds, V'a. to Fla. and Ala. 

 H- •*- Rout bulbous; (jlands covering the base of the sepals. 



2. Z. elegans, Pursh. Stem 1-3^ liigh ; leaves flat, carinate ; raceme 

 simple or j^paringly branched and few-flowered; bracts ovate-lanceolate; base 

 of the perianth coherent with the base of the ovary, the thin ovate or obovate 

 sepals marked with a large obcordate gland, the inner abruptly contracted to a 

 broad claw. (Z. glaucus, Nutt.) — N. Eng. to N. 111., Minn., and westward. 



•{. Z. Nuttallii, Gray. Like the last ; raceme rather densely flowered, 

 with narrow bracts ; perianth free ; sepals with an ill-defined giaud at base, not 

 at all clawed ; seeds larger (3" long). — Kan. to Tex. and Col. 

 * * Glands of the perianth obscure; perianth small, rotate ; bulb somewhat fibrous. 



4. Z. leimantholdes, Gray. vStcm l -4° high, slender; leaves narrowly 

 linear; flowers small (4" in diameter) and numerous, in a few crowded panided 

 racemes ; only a yellowish spot on the contracted base of the divisions of tiie 

 free perianth. — Low grounds, pine-barrens of N. J., to Ga. 



33. AMIANTHIUM, Gray. Flv-Poisox. 



Flowers perfect. Perianth widely spreading ; the distinct and free petal-like 

 (white) sepals oval or obovate, without claws or glands, persistent. Filaments 

 capillary, equalling or exceeding the perianth. Anthers, capsules, etc., nearly as 

 in Melanthium. Styles thread-like. Seeds wingless, oblong or linear, with a loose 

 coat, 1-4 in eacn cell. — Glabrous, with simple stems from a bulbous base or 

 coated bulb, scape-like, few-leaved, terminated by a simple dense raceme of hand 

 some flowers, turning greenish with age. Leaves linear, keeled, grass-like. 

 (From d/ilai/Tos, unspotted, and 6.v6os, flower : a name formed with more regard 

 to euphony than to good construction, alluding to the glandless perianth.) 



1. A. muscsetoxicum, Gray. (Fly-Poison.) Leaves bro<idli/ linear, 

 elongated, obtuse (^ - T wide) ; raceme simple ; capsule abruptly 3-horned ; seeds 

 oblong, with a fleshy red coat. — Open woods, N. J. to Fla., west to Ky. and 

 Ark. June, July. 



Order 117. POXTEDERIACE^. (Pickerel-weed Family.) 



Aquatic herhs, luith perfect more or less irrefjular flowers from a spathe : 

 the petal-like Q-merous perianth free from the ^-celled ovary ; the 3 or 6 

 inostlij unequal or dissimilar stainens inserted in its throat. — Perianth with 

 the G divisions colored alike, imbricated in 2 rows in the bud, the wliole 

 together sometimes revolute-coiled after flowering, then witiu'rin^ awav, 

 or the base thickened-persistent and enclosinj]j the fruit. Anthers in- 

 trorse. Ovules anatropous. Style 1 ; stigma 3-lobed or G-toothed. I'niit 

 a perfectly or incomj)letely 3-celIed many-seeded eajjsule, or a 1-celled 

 1-seeded utricle. Embryo slender, in floury albumen. 



L Pontederia. Spike niaiiy-flowered. Perianth •2-lipped, its (Ksliy persistent base en- 

 (.•Icisiii!,' Mil- l-see<le<l utricle. Stamens 6. 



2. Hetoranllifra. Spathe 1 - few-flowcrud. Periantli salver-sliapcd. St.imens 3. Cap- 

 sule luaiu-seeded. 



