A GUIDE TO THE WILD FLOWERS 43 



128. BUNCH-FLOWER. MELANTHIUM. 



Leafy herb of moist places, the upper part of stem and 

 flower cluster hairy. Leaves narrow, often sheathing. Flowers 

 greenish-yellow, or white, numerous, in a large terminal 

 branched cluster. Fruit a 3-lobed pod. (Melanthaceae.) 

 Bunch-flower. Mclanthium virginicum. From 23/^-5 ft. 

 tall, leaves linear, nearly i ft. long, ^-i in. wide, dimin- 

 ishing upward. Flower cluster 6-18 in. long. Flowers scarcely 

 y^ in. wide, turning brown. Pod about j^ in. long. July. 

 In various situations, mostly rather moist, Rhode Island and 

 New York to Florida, and westward. A related sj^ecies, 

 Mclanthium latifolium, with leaves broadest above the middle 

 and with fragrant flowers is found from Conn, to Penn. and 

 So. Carolina. 



129. STENANTHIUM. 



Bulbous herbs of moist places. Leaves basal and on the 

 stem, linear and keeled. Flowers greenish-white, in terminal 

 branched clusters. Fruit a 3-lobed pod. {Melanthaceae.) 

 Stcnanthium robustum. No common name. Stem 3-5 ft. 

 high, leafy. Leaves i ft. or more long, 3^-1 in. wide. 

 Flower cluster 1-2 ft. long, much-branched. Flowers green- 

 ish, or white, the petals acute-tipped. Pod about J^ in. long. 

 August. Penn. and Ohio to Tenn., So. Carolina, and Mis- 

 souri. Fig. 129. 



130. Twining vines. 



Flowers in a long stalked ball-like cluster; fruit a bluish-black 



berry Carrion-flower no. 131 



Flowers in a simple or branched cluster, not ball-like ; fruits 



3-angled and dry Wild Yam-root no. 132 



