316 MELANTHACE.E. MELANTHnm. 



2. MELANTHIUM. Linn. gen. no. 454; Mich. fl. 2. p. 250. mblanthium. 



[ From the Greek, melas, black, and anthos, a flower ; the flowers turning dark in decay.] 

 LiiMiNTHiDH, WiUd.i ZTOADsmrs (chiefly), KvmUi. 



Flowers mostly polygamous. Leaflets of the perianth rotate, petaloid, each with 2 glands ; 



the claws bearing the stamens. Stamens 6, shorter than the perianth : anthers reniform'; 



the cells confluent at the apex, shield -form after dehiscence. Styles short, subulate : 



stigmas simple, minute. Capsule ovoid-conical, membranaceous, 3-lobed ; the carpels 



distinct at the summit and finally separable their whole length, opening on the inside, 



4 - 10-seeded. Seeds compressed, with a broad membranaceous wing. — Stem usually 



tall and puberulent. Leaves linear ot lanceolate. Flowers in a pyramidal panicle, ochro- 



leucous or dull yellowish green. 



The genus Mclanthium was founded on M. Virginicum ; the name most therefore be retained for that species, 

 and the nearly allied M. hybridum, as has been suggested by Dr. Gray in iS^. jour, 42. p. 27, 



1. Melanthium Virginicum, Linn. (PI. CXXXIV.) Virginian Melanthium. 



Leaflets of the perianth ovate, auriculate-cordate at the base ; glands approximated, the 

 claws bearing the stamens above the middle. — Linn. sp. 1. p, 339 ; Michx, Jl, 2. p. 251 ; 

 Pursh,fl. 1. p. 240 ; Ell, sk, J. p. 418 ; Torr. fl, I. p. 267 ; Beck, hot. p, 366 ; Darlingt. 

 fl. Cest. p. 231. Helonias Virginica, Sims in hot. mag. t. 285. Leimanthium Virginicum, 

 Wiltd, in mag. naturf.fr, 2. p. 24, ex Schult. syst. 1, p. 1549 ; Gray, I, c. p. 1 15. Zygadenus 

 Virginicus, Kunth, enum. 4 p. 195. 



Stem 3-4 feet high, leafy, minutely pubescent. Leaves 8-15 inches long and ^ - 1 

 inch wide, pale green, narrowed and clasping at the base. Panicle a foot or more in length ; 

 the branches few, simple and racemose : perfect and sterile flowers mixed. Pedicels 6-8 

 lines long, with ovate bracts at the base. Perianth about half an inch in diameter, dull greenish 

 yellow, finally becoming brown ; the leaflets stellalely spreading, at first broadly ovale, but at 

 length narrower, somewhat hastate at the base, abruptly narrowed into a distinct claw ; the 

 glands oval, approximated but not united. Filaments cohering with the claws of the perianth 

 above the middle. Ovary in the sterile flower only rudimentary, but the styles distinct. Cap- 

 sule about half an inch long, consisting of 3 united follicular carpels, which are distitict at the 

 summit. Seeds much compressed, 4 - 10 in each carpel, with a broad winged margin. 



Wet meadows, Staten Island. Orange county {Dr. Horton). Fl. July. Fr. September. 

 I suspect that the Orange county plant is M. hybridum, as that species is frequent in the 

 neighboring county of Sussex in New-Jersey. I have not seen Dr. Horton's specimens. 



