238 ORDER XIX. UYPERICACE^. 



numerous. — Yellow. If. May — June. Dry soils, Geo. and Car. 6 — 

 12 inches. 



This is a beautiful genus of flowering plants, of which Europe produces more than 

 forty species, while North America produces only five. We know not that our in- 

 digenous species are cultivated, but well deserve it, beyond that of many imported 

 plants. 



Genus II.— LE 'CHE A. L. 3—3. 

 (In honor of Leche, a Swedish naturalist) 



Sei^als 3, with two exterior, narrow, and bract-like. Petals 

 3, minute, lanceolate. Stamens Z — 12. Stigmas ^^ on 2^ ^hori, 

 somewhat united style, fimbriate. Capsule 3-valved, appa- 

 rently 3-celled, with roundish placentae, nearly as broad as the 

 valves, about 2-seeded. Perennial herbs. 



1. L. ma'joe, (Mich.) Stem herbaceous, branching, scabrous; young 

 branches villous, radical branches tufted. Leaves ovate-lanceolate ; 

 those on the radical branches opposite, and sometimes nearly round on 

 the stem, alternate. Flowem in lateral racemes, with short pedicels. 

 Capsule somewhat 3 sided, depressed. Petals lanceolate, obtuse. An- 

 thers bilocular, pink. — White. U. July — Aug. Sandy soils, common. 

 1—2 feet. 



2. L. mi'nor, (Lam.) Stem erect, branching, pubescent ; radical 

 branches, if any, hair}'. Leaves linear-lanceolate, scattered, or occa- 

 sionally nearly verticillate. Flovjers in terminal panicles, with ap- 

 pressed pedicels. 



Var. racemulo'sa. Stem much branched near the summit, with sel- 

 dom any radical branches. Leaves small, narrov\'. 



Var. texufo'lia. Stem decumbent and asj^urgent, very much branch- 

 ed, somewhat hairy. Leaves subulate, linear. Flowers solitary, at the 

 extremities of the branches. — White. 2f. Sandy soils, in middle Car. 

 6 — 18 inches. 



3. L. thymifo'lia, (Mich.) Stem frutescent, decumbent at the base, 

 much branched above, hoary-villous. Leaves linear, acute, numerous; 

 those of the procumbent radical branches small, imbricate, elliptical. 

 Flowers 2 — 6, at the extremities of the branches, in leafy panicles. 

 Calyx tomentose. — White. 1i. Sandy soils. May — Aug. 10—15 

 inches. 



Order XIX.—HYPERICA'CE^. 



Sepals 4 — 5, cohering at the base, or distinct, persistent, un- 

 equal ; aestivation imbricate. Petals hypogynous, as many as 

 the sepals ; veins oblique, with a twisted [estivation. Stamens 

 hypogynous, usually very numerous, polydelphous, usually in 

 three parcels. Anthers versatile, introrse. Ovary composed of 

 2 — 5 united carpels. Styles several, persistent. Capsule with 

 a septicidal dehiscence, 1 — 2 — o-celled ; when 1-celled, the pla- 

 centa parietal ; when more than 1-celled, the placentae central. 

 Seeds very numerous, anatropous. Embryo straight, cylindri- 

 cal. Herbs and shrubs. Leaves opposite, entire, without stip- 

 ules, dotted. 



