238 DIOECIA. PENTANDRfA. 



ternate, cordate, ovate or sublanceolate, rarely hastate, 

 the petiole producmcr on either side a tendril; fiovvers 

 umbeUate, axillary, caducous. 



Species. 3 . S. hastata. 2. Bona 7iox. o. qrmdvangida- 

 ris. 4. Sarsapari'da. Underside of the leaves (or another 

 species!) sonsetimes not only glaucous but villous. 5. ova- 

 ta, Ph. 6. lanceolata. Also uiba? Ph. 7- pidjera. Ber- 

 ries red; not white! S. Pseudo-Chma 9. rotimdifolia. 10. 

 cadtica. 11. laurifolia. Hab. From Delaware to Florida. 

 12. tam}ioides. S.panduratua, Pn. 13- peditncidaris. — l^emale 

 flower producing 6 inrt-riile filamcnis. Siig'mas 3, each 3- 

 lobed; germ o-celled, cells 2 seeded. l4. herLacea. Flow- 

 ' ers exiremely foetid, almost similar to those of StapeUa hir- 



suta. These 2 last species appear to indicate a distinct 

 section in tlie genus, possessing the habit of Dloscorea. 



The principal part of this genus of near 50 species are 

 natives of tropical America; there are also spacies in In- 

 dia, Europe, Barbary and the Levant. 



794. DiOSCOREA. L. (Yam root.) 



Masc. Calix 6-partcd. Corolla none. Fem. 

 Flower as the male. Styles 3. Capsule S-Ci^Wcd^ 

 triangular, compressed; cells 2-sceded. Seeds 

 membranaceously margined. 



Herbaceous and tv^dning; leaves alternate, more rarely 

 opposite and verticillaie, mostly simple, cordate, or ovate 

 and longitudinally nerved, (in 2 species digitate or ternate, 

 in a {'ew others palmately lobed) flov.-ers axillary, race- 

 mose and paniculate, solitary or partially conglomerate; 

 root often tuberous and large. 



SvEciiE.s.1. l). quaternata. J). g-Iauca. ^^vihl. Catal. 2. 

 fviUosa. Hab. Front Canada to Florida. Female flowers 

 simply racemose. Masculine paniculate, glomerate. 



Of this genus there are in tropical America 12 species, 

 30 in India, 3 in Japan, and 2 in Cochinchina. D. saiiva, 

 the Yam, cultivated for food, is said to be indigenous to 

 India. 



795. GLEDITSCIJIA. L, (Honey Locust.) 

 Hermaph, Caiix 6 to 8-parted, deciciiious, 



3 or 4 of the exterior segments smaller. Corolla 

 none. Stamina 5 or 6, rarely 8. Legume flatly 

 compressed, 1, or many-seeded. JMasc. Calioi 



