226 HEXANDRIA. MONOGTMA. 



532. ASPARAGUS. L. 



Corolla inferior, 6 parted, erect; the S inte- 

 rior segments reflected towards the points. 

 Style very short. Stigmata 3. Berrij 3-celled, 

 many-seeded. 



Leaves fasciculated, usually subulate or setaceous. 

 Stems branched, herbaceous orfrutescent; flowers mostly 

 solitary and axillary; spalha 2-valved. In some species 

 the branchlets and fascicles of leaves are each subtended 

 by a spine. 



Species. 1. A- officinalis. Scarcely yet naturalized in 

 the United States. 



The principal part of this genus is indigenous to the 

 Cape of Good Hope, there are also a few species in India 

 and in the south of Europe. 



tttt Flowers incomplete, 

 ^33. ORONTIUM. L. (Golden Club.) 



Spadioc cylindric, covered with florets. Corol- 

 la about 6-petal!ed, naked. Style and stigma 

 scarcely any. Utriculus 1 -seeded. 



Spatha radical; spadix pedicellate; flowers hermaphro- 

 dite; the lowest with 6 stamina, the upper with 4. Leaves 

 entire, the lamina vertically coalescing with the petiole. 

 Species. 1. O.aquaticiim. From Canada to Carolina, 

 almost exclusively within the limits of tide-water? in river 

 marshes. Obs. Pedicell of the spadix nearly semicyhn- 

 dric, upper part wh'te, flowering portion bright yellow, 

 cylindric-conic; lower flowers with 6 or 5, hooded, and 

 dilated flower scales, and as many stamina disposed under 

 them; upper flower scales generally 4, with 4 stamens. 

 Filaments about the length of the anthers, flat, disposed 

 around the base of the angular germ. Anthers S-celled, 

 adnate to the filaments, at first large, bursting by almost 

 terminal scars or oblique cicatrices, at length appearing 

 like short poliniferous cups, which are persistent and 

 marcescent. Style none, s'.igma obsolete, in the form of a 

 small and, at length, somewhat prominent, umbilical punc- 

 ture or variolus. Utriculus naked, green, roundish, 1- 

 eeeded, the size of a large pea. Gemmula viviparous, or 

 coinmencing to vegetate as soon as mature, (cotyledones 

 none,) primary vaginute leaves 2 or 3, linear, and subu- 

 Jate; the 4th leaf usually exhibiting a small lamina. Pri- 



