230 LYTHRACE^. Decodon. 



root at the summit. Leaves 3-4 inches long, on short petioles, acute, smooth above, more 

 or less pubescent underneath, often opposite and verticillate on the same plant. Umbels 

 3 - 6-flowered, rather crowded so as to appear verticillate. Calyx purplish, mostly 10-toothed. 

 Petals oblong-lanceolate, clawed ; 5 of the claws twice as long as the petals, and inserted at 

 the base of the shorter teeth of the calyx ; the others inserted lower down : filaments purple : 

 anthers small. Capsule coriaceous, dehiscing loculicidally. Seeds smooth, angular, 6 - 9 in 

 each cell. 



Swamps and borders of ponds ; rather common. July - August. It is sometimes used 

 as an emmenagogue. 



4. CUPHEA. Jacq. hort. Vindob. 2. p. 83 ; Endl. gen. 6151. CUPHEA. 



[ Named from the Greek, Teuphos, curved ; in reference to the form of the capsule.] 



Capsule tubular or ventricose, gibbous or sometimes spurred on the upper side, 6-toothed, and 

 usually with as many accessory intermediate processes. Petals 6-7, unequal. Stamens 

 about 12, unequal. Ovary with a gland at the base next the gibbosity of the calyx : style 

 filiform : stigma somewhat capitate. Capsule 1 - 2-celled. Seeds several, mostly large, 

 lenticular, wingless. — Herbs or suffruticose plants, with opposite or rarely verticillate leaves. 

 Peduncles axillary or between the petioles, one- or several-flowered. Calyx colored. Petals 

 violet or white. 



1. CuPHEA viscosissiMA, Jucq. Viscid Cuphea. 



Annual, viscidly pubescent ; stem erect, branching ; leaves ovate-lanceolate, on slender 



petioles, rough ; calyx ventricose, gibbous at the base ; petals clawed. — Jacq. I. c. t. 177; 



Michx. fl.\. p. 281 ; Pursh, fl.l.p. 335 ; Nutt. gen. l.p. 304 ; Ell. sk. 1. p. 546 ; Bart. 



fl. Amer. Sept. I. t. 18 ; Torr. fl. l.p. 472 ; Beck, hot. p. 126 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 284 ; 



Torr. 4- Gr. ft. N. Am. 1. p. 482. 



Stem about a foot high, clothed with a viscid purplish pubescence. Leaves 1-2 inches 

 long, slightly hairy ; the petiole 3-6 inches long. Flowers solitary, pedicellate. Calyx 

 12-ribbed, purplish, very viscid. Petals purple, very unequal. Stamens included. Capsule 

 opening with the calyx before maturity, and exposing the naked seeds. 



Old fields and gravelly places. Northern part of the State {Dr. M. Stevenson and Dr. 

 Knieskern) ; near Astoria, Long Island {Mr. Menard). July - August. 



