48 MARANTACEAE. 



FAMILY 2. ALPINIACEAE. CIX.JKR FAMILY. 



Caulescent, sometimes large, herbs mostly with horizontal root storks. 

 Flowers mostly perfect, borne in spike-like, sometimes cone-like, thyrsoid, 

 or open panicles. Calyx of 3, partially united sepals, sometimes spathe- 

 like. Corolla of 3 petals partially united into a tube. Fruit capsular. 



1. LANGUAS Koen. Herbs with horizontal rootstocks and erect stems. 

 Leaves erect. Panicle thyrsoid, terminating a leafy stem, with often imbricate 

 bracts. Calyx 3-lobed. Petals 3, the upper one larger than the others. Lip 

 large and showy. Staminodia minute or wanting. Capsules sometimes baccate. 



1. L. speciosa (Wendl.) Small. Plants 1-4 in. tall, the stem sheathed: leaf- 

 blades oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 1.5-4 dm. long: flower-stalks drooping from 

 sheaths: calyx 18-23 mm. long: corolla white, tinged with magenta: lip 5-6 

 cm. long, crisped, yellow, variegated with brown and red. Hammocks. Nat. 

 of the E. Indies. (Cuba, Ant.) SHELL-FLOWER. 



FAMILY 3. CANNACEAE. CANNA FAMILY. 



Caulescent herbs. Flowers perfect. Calyx of 3 erect sepals. Corolla 

 of 3 partially united petals. Androecium more or less adnate to the 

 corolla: one filament anther-bearing, the others petaloid. Ovary 3-celled, 

 the placentae parietal. Style petaloid, the stigma marginal. Fruit a 

 loculicidal papillose or bristly capsule. 



1. CANNA L. Large or tall herbs, with relatively large leaves. Flowers 

 mostly showy, borne in terminal thyrsoid pani< !<-. 



1. O. flaccida Roscoe. Plants 1.5 m. tall or less: leaf-blades 2.r> .~.r> ,1m. 

 long: flowers very showy, mainly yellow: sepals 2.5-3 cm. long: perianth- 

 tube much longer than the sepals: corolla-lobes 5-6.5 cm. long: staminodia 

 dilated: capsules 4-6 cm. long. Everglades. INDIAN-SHOT. 



FAMILY 4. MARANTACEAE. ARROWROOT FAMILY. 



Scapose or caulescent herbs. Flowers perfect or sometimes poly- 

 gamous. Calyx of 3 distinct or partially united sepals. Corolla of .'{ <lis- 

 tinct or partially united petals. Androecium partially adnate to the 

 corolla: one filament anther-bearing, the others petaloid. Ovary 1-3- 

 celled. Style thick, the stigma 2-lipped. Fruit utricular, smooth. 



Petal! partially united: lateral atamlnodla 2. 1. MAI 



I'etala dlatlnct or nearly ao: lateral Btamlnodlam 1. - IfeAUA, 



1. MAJBANTA [Plum.] L. Relatively slender caulescent herbs, not 

 white-powdery. Flowers solitary or few in panicles. Corolla-tube cylindric. 

 Perianth mainly white. 



1. 11 arnndinacea L. Stems 1-2 m. tall, from scaly rootxtocks: leaf -blades 

 lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 8-25 cm. long: sepals 10-12 mm. long: corolla 

 white about 2 cm. long: staminodia surpassing the corolla: fruit about 1 cm. 

 long. Hammocks. Nat. of Trop. Am., and cultivated. ARROWROOT. 



2. THALIA L. Relatively stout scaporc herbs, white powdery, at least 

 above. Flowers numerous, in large panicles. Corolla-tube wanting or obsolete. 

 Perianth white or purple. . 



1. T. divarlcata Chapm. Leaf -blade* lanceolate, w>metinie8 broadly so, 2-6 

 dm. long: soapes montly 1-3 m. tall, widely 1. ram-hod above; nodes of the 

 panicle bearded: perianth purple or pale. Everglades. 



