KEXANDRIA. TRIGYNIA. 233 



The principal part of this genus is indigenous to the 

 Cape of Good Hope, there is 1 species also in Siberia and 1 

 in India, J\I. piniulum of Tierva del F;iego, JM. gravimeum 

 and JM. puncfaium of Barbary, cannot certainly belong to 

 this genus. 



344. ZIGADENUS. Michaux. 



Corolla 6-])Mrted, spreading; segments sub- 

 equal* above the base narrower and biglandu- 

 lous. *Sto??ii/ia inserted in contact with the germ. 

 Styles 3, ])artly united at tlie base. Capsule in- 

 rluded in the persistent corolla, sub-ovate, acute, 

 3-celled, cells many seeded. Seeds iinear-ob- 

 iong, apterous. 



Nearly allied to ^Teiantltiwn witli which it also partlv 

 agrees in liabit, but t!ie flowers are all hermaphrodite, and 

 the panicle alternately branclied. 



Species. 1. Z. glaberrir.uis. 2- elegans. Pursh, Flor. 

 Am 1 p. 2-ll. The only species of the genus. 



S4 5. VFmATUUM. L. (Green and White Hel- 



leboi-e.) 



Polygamous. — Corolla 6-parted, spreading^ 

 soginents sessile and without glands. Stamina 

 inserted upon the j'cceptacle. Capsules 3 united, 

 many seeded. 



Root fibrous or brandling; leaves ovate or elliptic, plait- 

 ed, and numerously nerved, rarely (as in V. angi'stijoliurn) 

 gramineous; flowei-s pyramidally paniculate, gi*eenish. 



Species. 1. V. viride. In the vicinity of Philadelphia, 

 on the banks of the Schuylkill, but not common; growing 

 nearly 6 feel higli. Peduncles and branches of the pani- 

 cle pubescent, upper part of the branchlets filiform witJi 

 masculine flowers, the lower part fructiferous. 2. par- 

 xiforum. 3- angufitifoliwiP. Pursh, 1. p. 242. Raceme com- 

 pound, lateral branchlets illlform masculine, upper part sim- 

 ple, hermaphrodite; petals sessile, linear-lanceolate, acu- 

 mmiite; leaves flattish gramineous, rather obtuse, v. v. Not 

 uncommon in the grassy prairies of Ohio, Tennessee and 

 Louisiana. 2 to 3 feet high, root bidbous? leaves linear» 

 semiamplexicaule, rather arid, striated, 6 to 10 inches 

 long; raceme long, with a few short filiform male branch- 

 lets on the lower part; male flowers nearly sessile, her- 

 maphrodite pedicellate, bractes subulate, nearly the length 

 X 2 



