Gerardia. SCROPHULARTACEiE, 45 



included. Capsule ovoid or roundish, loculicidal ; the valves usually entire. Seeds 

 numerous, with a loose reticulated testa. — Herbs or rarely undershrubs, with the leaves 

 opposite, or sometimes alternate, pinnatifid or entire. Flowers large and showy, axillary 

 and solitary, yellow or purple. Most of the species turn blackish in drying. 



* EuQEBAROi^, Benth, Flowers purple : calyx 5-tootied ; lobes of the corolla entire : anihers acute, all equaliy i-lobed and 



fertile, not spurred at the base. — Licaves entire. 



1. Gerardia tenuifolia, Vahl. Slender- stalked Gerardia. 



Much branched ; leaves linear, acute, smoothish ; peduncles axillary, longer than the 

 flowers ; teeth of the calyx short, acute ; corolla slightly pubescent. — Vahl, symh. 3. p. 79 ; 

 Nutt. gen. 2. p. 47 ; Pursh, fl. 2. p. 422 ; Ell. sk. 2. p. 117 ; Bart.fl. N. Am. t. 82 ; Bigel. 

 fl. Bost. p. 247 ; Beck, hot. p. 268 ; Benth. I. c. p. 209 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 365. G. 

 erecla, Walt. fl. Car. p. 170 ; Michx. fl. 2. p. 20. 



Annual. Stem 8-15 inches high, 4-angled, smoothish, with numerous spreading filiform 

 branches. Leaves an inch or more in length, usually very narrow, but sometimes approaching 

 to lanceolate, attenuate at each end, slightly rough on the margin. Peduncles filiform, often 

 an inch or more in length. Teeth of the calyx scarcely as long as the tube, slightly ciliate ; 

 the sinuses obtuse. Corolla campanulate-funnelform, pale purple, spotted inside ; the seg- 

 ments broad, rarely equal. Anthers cordate, villous on the face ; the lobes acuminate at tha 

 base : filaments slightly hairy. Capsule nearly globose, not exceeding the calyx. 



Dry woods ; rather common throughout the State, except in the northern counties. Fl. 

 August - September. Fr. October. 



2. Gerardia purpurea, Linn. Rough-leaved Gerardia. 



Stem rough on the angles ; leaves linear, very rough ; peduncles very short ; teeth of the 

 calyx lanceolate-subulate. — Linn. sp. 2. p. 610; Walt.fl. Car. p. 170; Miclix.fl. 2. p. 19 

 Pursh, fl. 2. p. 422 ; Nutt. gen. 2. p. 46 ; Ell. sk. 2. p. 117 ; Bart. fl. N. Am. t. 97 

 Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 247 ; Beck, hot. p. 267 ; Benth. I. c. p. 208 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 365 

 Hook. fl. Bor.-Am. 2. p. 104. 



Annual or biennial. Stem 1-2 feet high, often much branched, quadrangular. Leaves 

 1 — 1 i inch lortg and 1-2 Unes wide, tapering to a point, and curling as the plant dries, 

 Peduncles 1-2 lines long. Calyx smoothish ; the teeth nearly as long as the tube, acuminate : 

 sinuses acute. Corolla about an inch long, bright purple ; the lobes ciliate : inside of the 

 upper ones, and of the throat almost woolly : lower side of the throat speckled with deeper 

 purple, and marked with two long obscurely yellowish stripes. Stamens shorter than the tube 

 of the corolla : filaments very villous : anthers cordate-ovate, hairy ; the lobes acute at the 

 base. Capsule nearly globose. 



Swamps and low moist grounds, particularly where the water is brackish. Southern part 

 of the State, and on Long Island. Fl. August - September. Fr. October. 



