I20 COMMELYNA VIRGINICA. COMMON DAY-FLOWER, 



Botany " he has it Commelyina — the latter doubtless an oversight, 

 but a curious one as though intended to combine both forms. 

 The student may learn from this little sketch of the family name 

 that it requires great care in history to avoid error, and tliat it 

 is always well not to take even the most careful authorities 

 in final judgment when any opportunity offers for review. 



Commclyna has been taken as the type of the natural order 

 Commelynacece, the only other genus of the order in our country 

 being Tradcscantia, and these are particularly interesting through 

 being the most northern representatives of the order. It is not 

 a very extensive family, there being not more than two dozen 

 good genera in the whole ; but of these the chief are inhabitants 

 of the East and West Indies. The order is also well represented 

 in Africa. It is one of great interest to botanists, as being an 

 advance from simpler organisms towards true Lilies. There is, 

 however, a distinct calyx and corolla, while in the six parted peri- 

 anth of the true Lily these distinctions are nearly abolished. 

 From its neighbor Tradcscantia it is readily distinguished by its 

 irregular corolla. In the latter the petals are of one uniform 

 size, and set at regular distances from one another. 



The roots of our common day-flower make a nutritious vege- 

 table when cooked, but it is not in use because other vegetables 

 of a similar character successfully compete with it. 



It is found along the eastern seaboard States from Florida to 

 New York, thence westwardly to Michigan, and southwardly east 

 of the Mississippi river. 



