SAXIFRAGACK-E. (SAXIFRAGE FAMILY.) 145 



6. MIT^LLA, Tourn. MITRE-WORT. BISHOP'S-CAP. 



Calyx short, coherent with the base of the ovary, 5-cleft. Petals 5, slender, 

 pinnatifid. Stamens 10, included. Styles 2, very short. Pod short, 2-beaked, 

 1 -celled, with 2 parietal or rather basal several-seeded placentae, 2-valved at the 

 summit. Seeds smooth and shining. Low and slender perennials, with round 

 heart-shaped alternate leaves on the rootstock or runners, on slender petioles ; 

 those on the scapes opposite, if any. Flowers small, in a simple slender raceme 

 or spike. (Name a diminutive from fw'rpa, a mitre, or cap, alluding to the form 

 of the young pod.) 



1. M. dipliylla, L. Hairy, leaves heart-shaped, acute, somewhat 3-5 

 lobed, toothed, those on the many-flowered-scape 2, opposite, nearly sessile. Hill- 

 sides in rich woods, W. N. England to Wisconsin and Kentucky. May. 

 Flowers white, in a raceme 6' - 8' long. 



, 2. M. nilda, L. Small and slender; leaves rounded or kidney-form, deeply 

 and doubly crenate ; scape usually leafless, few-flowered, very slender (4' -6' high). 

 (M. cordifolia, Lam. M. prostrata, Michx.) Deep moist woods with mosses, 

 Maine to Wisconsin and northward. May -July. A delicate little plant, 

 shooting forth runners in summer. Blossoms greenish. 



7. TIAREL.1LA, L. FALSK MITRE-WORT. 



Calyx bell-shaped, nearly free from the ovary, 5-parted. Petals 5, with claws, 

 entire. Stamens 10, long and slender. Styles 2. Pod membranaceous, 1 

 celled, 2-valved, the valves unequal. Seeds few, at the base of each parietal 

 placenta, globular, smooth. Perennials : flowery white. (Name a diminutive 

 from ridpa, a tiara, or turban, from the form of the pod, or rather pistil, which 

 is like that of Mitella, to which the name of Mitre-wort properly belongs.) 



1. X. cordifolia, L. Leaves from the rootstock or summer runners 

 heart-shaped, sharply lobed and toothed, sparsely hairy above, downy beneath ; 

 scape leafless (5' - 12' high) ; raceme simple ; petals oblong. Rich rocky woods ; 

 common from Maine to Wisconsin, northward, and southward along the moun- 

 tains. April, May. 



8. CHRYSOSPJLfclVIUM, Toum. GOLDEN SAXIFRAGE. 



Calyx-tube coherent with the ovary ; the blunt lobes 4-5, yellow within. 

 Petals none. Stamens 8-10, very short, inserted on a conspicuous disk. 

 Styles 2. Pod inversely heart-shaped or 2-lobed, flattened, very short, 1 -celled, 

 with 2 parietal placenta, 2-valved at the top, many-seeded. Low and small 

 smooth herbs, with tender succulent leaves, and small solitary or leafy-cymed 

 flowers. (Name compounded of ^pvcros, golden, and (nr\r)V, the spleen, probably 

 from some reputed medicinal qualities.) 



1. C. Americanum, Schwein. Stems slender, diffusely spreading, 

 forking ; leaves principally opposite, roundish or somewhat heart-shaped, ob- 

 scurely crenate-lobed ; flowers distant, inconspicuous, nearly sessile (greenish 

 tinged with yellow or purple). 1|. Cold wet places ; common, especially north- 

 ward. April, May. 



13 , 



