402 MELANTHACEAE. 



*-r-\ __, . /\ 



i. Helonias bullata L,. Swamp Pink. 

 (Fig. 971.) 



Helonias bullata L. Sp. PI. 342. 1753. 



Leaves several or numerous, dark green, thin, 

 clustered at the base of the scape, 6'-i5' long, 

 Yt'-z' wide, pointed or blunt, finely parallel- 

 nerved. Scape stout, bracted below, the bracts 

 lanceolate, acute or acuminate, membranous; 

 raceme dense, i / -3 / long in flower, becoming 

 4 '-7' long in fruit; perianth-segments about 3" 

 long, equalling or rather longer than the stout 

 pedicels; capsules about 3 // long, the valves 

 papery; seeds i^ f/ -z f/ long. 



In bogs, northern New Jersej-, southern New 

 York and eastern Pennsylvania (?) to Virginia. 

 Local. The scape sometimes bears a few leaves 

 at its base. Apnl-May. 



5. CHAMAELJRIUM Willd. Mag. Nat. Fr. Berl. 2: 18. 1808. 



An erect glabrous slightly fleshy herb, with a bitter tuberous rootstock. Basal leaves 

 spatulate, those of the stem lanceolate. Flowers small, white, dioecious, in a long narrow 

 bractless spike-like raceme. Perianth of 6 linear-spatulate i-nerved segments. Staminate 

 flowers with 6 stamens, the filaments filiform, the anthers subglobose, 2-celled; pistillate 

 flowers with a 3-celled oblong ovary, 3 short styles, stigmatic along the inner side, and usu- 

 ally with 6 staminodia. Capsule oblong, slightly 3-lobed, loculicidally 3-valved. Seeds 6- 

 12 in each cavity, broadly winged at both ends, narrowly winged on the sides. [Greek, 

 signifying a low lily.] 



A nionot3'pic genus of eastern North America. 



i. Chamaelirium luteum (L.) A. 

 Gray. Blazing-star. (Fig. 972.) 



I'eratrum luteum L- Sp. PI. 1044. J 753- 

 Chamaelirium CaroliriiattumWilld. Mag. Xat. Fr. 



Berl. 2: 19. 1808. 

 Chamaelirium luteum A. Gray, Man. 503. 1848. 



Staminate plant i%-2)4 tall, the pistillate 

 often taller, sometimes 4 high and more leafy. 

 Basal leaves 2 / -8 / long, y 2 '-\Yz' wide, mostly 

 obtuse, tapering into a long petiole; stem leaves 

 lanceolate, the or upper linear, acute or acum- 

 inate, sessile or the lower short-petioled ; stam- 

 inate raceme or nodding finally erect, $'-<)' long, 

 the pedicels spreading, i"-2" long; pistillate 

 raceme erect; flowers nearly 3" broad; capsule 

 oblong or somewhat obovoid, 4 // ~7 // long, 

 2 // -3 // in diameter. 



In moist meadows and thickets, Massachusetts to 

 southern Ontario and Michigan, south to Florida 

 and Arkansas. Called also Devil's-bit, Unicorn-root 

 and Drooping Starwort. May-Jul>*. 



6. CHROSPERMA Raf. Neog. 3. 1825. 

 [AMiAXTHifM A. Gray, Ann. Lye. N. Y. 4: 121. 1837.] 



An erect glabrous herb, with an ovoid-oblong coated bulb, and numerous long blunt 

 basal leaves, a few short ones on the stem. Flowers perfect, white, in a dense terminal 

 raceme, the lower ones first expanding. Perianth of 6 distinct glandless persistent obtuse 

 segments. Stamens inserted on the bases of the sepals; anthers small, reniform. Ovary 

 ovoid, 3-lobed, 3-celled. Capsule 3-celled, dehiscent above the middle, the cavities 1-2- 

 seeded, its 3 divergent lobes tipped with the subulate styles. Seeds ovoid, reddish brown. 

 [Greek, referring to the colored seeds.] 



A monotypic genus of eastern North America. 



