242 ORDER XX. ILLECEBRACEiE. 



Genus III.— ELO'DEA. Ad. 12—5. 



(From the Greek elos, a marsb.) 



Sejmls 5, united at the base. Petals 5, unguiculate. Sta- 

 mens 9 — 15, united into three parcels, with an intervening 

 gland. Pistils 3, distinct, spreading. Capsule 3-celled, 3- 

 valved. 



1. E. Virgin'ica, (Nutt.) Stem glabrous, terete, with opposite 

 branches. Leaves opposite, oblong, sessile, clasping, glaucous under- 

 neath. Floivers in axillary and terminal cymes ; axillary ones about 

 3-flowered ; terminal ones more numerous. Sepals oval, nerved, not 

 dotted, glabrous. Petals oval or obovate-oblong, marked with reddish 

 veins. Stamens usually 9. — Orange-purple. U. Aug. — Sept. Wfet 

 soils. 18 — 24 inches. 



2. E. petiola'ta, (Pursh.) Stem glabrous. Leaves petiolate, attenu- 

 ated at the base, oblong-oval. Flowers opposite, by threes. Stamens 

 united above the middle. Sepals oval, obtuse, with membranaceous 

 margins. Petals lanceolate, a little longer than the calyx. Stamens 

 9, in three parcels. Capsule 8-celled. — Orange- purple. If. Aug. — 

 Sept. Around ponds and ditches. 2 — 2 feet 6 inches. 



Order XX.— ILLECEBRA'CE^. 



Sepals 5, persistent, distinct, or united at the base. Petah 

 5 or none, alternate with the sepal^, minute, sometimes resem- 

 bling sterile filaments. Stamens e(\WA\ in number to the sepals, 

 or fewer, and opposite them, perigynous, filaments distinct, an- 

 thers 2-celled. Ovary compressed, of several carpels, with the 

 dissepiments obliterated, so as to form a pyxidium, with central 

 placentae, 1 or many seeded. Seeds campylotropous. Embryo 

 more or less curved. Herbaceous plants, with opposite, entire 

 leaves, with scabrous stipules. 



ANALYSIS. 



1. Style 1, filiform, petals none, or subulate SiphonycJda, 3 



Styles or stigmas more than 1 . ■. 2 



2. Stvles 5 Spergula, 6 



Styles less than 5 8 



3. Styles 3 4 



Styles 2 5 



4. Flowers in fascicles, terminal, stipules multifid Stipulicida, 4 



Flowers cyraose Poli/carpon, 5 



Flowers axillary, solitary Spergula^ 6 



^. Sepals cuspidate, or curved at the summit Paronychia, 1 



Sepals sub-saccate at the apex Anyc'iii, 2 



Genus I.— PARONY'CHIA. Jus. 5—1. 

 (From the Greek paro7iicchia, something that cures maladies of the nails.) 



Sepals united at the base, cuspidate or curved at the summit, 

 the inner portion colored, cucullate, or concave at the summit. 



