Vol. III.] 



MADDER FAMILY. 



213 



Houstonia serpyllifolia Michx. 

 Thyme-leaved Bluets. 

 (Fig. 3394.) 



Houstonia serpyllifolia Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 



1:85. 1803. 

 Hedyotis serpyllifolia T. & G. Fl. N. A. 2: 



39. 1841. 



Perennial; stems prostrate or diffuse, 

 slender, glabrous, 4 / -io / long. Leaves or- 

 bicular or broadly oval, abruptly petioled, 

 3 // -4 // long, sometimes hispidulous; or 

 those of the flowering stems narrower, 

 distant; flowers on terminal and axillary 

 filiform peduncles; corolla usually deep 

 blue, 4 // -6 // broad, its Uibe rather shorter 

 than the lobes; capsule similar to that of 

 the preceding species but usually slightly 

 larger, nearly as long as the calyx. 



High mountains of Virginia and West 

 Virginia to South Carolina and east Tennes- 

 see. May. 



3. Houstonia minor (Michx.) Britton. Small Bluets. 



(Fig- 3395-) 



minor Michx. Fl. 



Houstonia Linnaei var. 



Bor. Am. 1: 35. 1803. 

 Houstonia patens EH. Bot. S. C. & Ga. 1: 



191. 1821. 

 Houstonia minor Britton, Mem. Torr. Club, 



5: 302. 1894. 



Annual, glabrous or nearly so, branched 

 from the base, i / -6 / high. Lower and 

 basal leaves oval or ovate, 5 // -6 // long, 

 narrowed into petioles often of their own 

 length, the upper narrower and sessile; 

 peduncles axillary and terminal, diver- 

 gent, 3 // -iS // long, i-flowered; corolla 

 violet-blue or purple, 3 // -4 // broad, its 

 tube about equalling the lobes; capsule 

 compressed, didymous, 2 l / 2 // -2>" broad, 

 its upper part free from the calyx and 

 about equalling or exceeding the subulate 

 lobes. 



In dry soil, Virginia to Florida, Arkansas 

 and Texas. March-April. 



4. Houstonia 



minima Beck. 

 (Fig- 3396.) 



Least Bluets. 



Houstonia minima Beck, Am. Journ. Sci. 10: 262. 1826. 

 Hedyotis mi?iimaT. SlQ-'FLN. A. 2: ^S. In part. 1841. 

 Oldenlandia minima A. Gray, Man. Ed. 2, 173. 1856. 



Annual, spreading or diffuse, \'-iy?.' high, roughish. 

 Lower and basal leaves oval or ovate, with petioles shorter 

 than or equalling the blade, the upper oblong, sessile; pe- 

 duncles axillary and terminal, rather stout, 3 // -l2 // long; 

 flowers 4 // -5 // broad; corolla violet or purple, the tube 

 longer than the lobes; capsule didymous, compressed, about 

 3 // broad, its upper part free from the calyx and considerably 

 exceeded by the lanceolate foliaceous lobes. 



In dry soil, Missouri (and Illinois?) to Arkansas and Texas. 

 March-April. 



