56 PONTEDERIACEAE 



In sandy soil near Martin City, Little Blue Tank and Lake City. July- 

 August. 



2. TRADESCANTIA L. 



Bracts leaf-like. Flowers regular, umbellate. Sepals and petals three 

 each, the latter ovate and sessile. Stamens 6, all similar, the filaments 

 beautifully bearded. Ovary 3-celled, with 2 ovules in each cell. 



Sepals nearly glabrous. 1. T. reflexa. 

 Sepals strongly hairy. 



Leaves long-ciliate at base. 2. T. occidentalis. 



Leaves not long-ciliate at base. 3. T. bracteata. 



1. T. reflexa Raf. SMOOTH SPIDERWORT. l-4 high, glaucous : 

 leaves spreading, 8 / -20 / long, 5 // -7 // wide : umbels many-flowered : 

 pedicels reflex ed at maturity : sepals hairy at tip : petals blue or pur- 

 plish. Common in open ground, especially on prairies. May-June. 



2. T. occidentalis Britton. WESTERN SPIDERWORT. l-2 high, 

 glabrous : leaves ascending, short-hairy, 7 / -15 / long, 3 // -5 // wide, flattish, 

 exceeding the stems : umbels few-flowered. In barrens along Brush Creek 

 and at Dodson. May-June. 



3. T. bracteata Small. HAIRY SPIDERWORT. 8M5' high: leaves 

 widely spreading, 4 / -8 / long, 5 // -8 // wide, strongly keeled : umbels few- 

 flowered : flowers reddish. Frequent on prairies throughout. May-June. 



FAMILY 18. PONTEDERIACEAE Dumort. 



Marsh plants with flowers subtended by leafy spathes. Perianth col- 

 ored, 6-merous, free from the ovary. Stamens 3 or 6, inserted on its 

 throat, unequal. Ovary 3-celled and many-ovuled, or 1-celled and 1- 

 ovuled. 



Stamens six. 1. PONTEDERIA. 



Stamens three. 2. HETERANTHERA. 



1. PONTEDERIA L. 



Flowers numerous, blue, ephemeral, on a long scape. Perianth 2- 

 lipped, the upper three lobes ovate, the three lower linear-oblong and 

 spreading. Stamens six, three long-exserted, the other three on short fila- 

 ments. Ovary 3-celled, two of the cells abortive, the other 1-ovuled. 



1. P. cordata L. PICKEREL WEED. l-3 high : leaves ovate, cor- 

 date-sagittate, long-petioled, blunt at apex : inflorescence glandular- 

 pubescent. Occurs locally in marshes between Adams and Lake City. 

 June-August. 



2. HETERANTHERA R. & P. 



Spathes 1-several flowered. Flowers small. Perianth divisions equal. 

 Stamens three. Ovary 3-celled with numerous ovules. 



Flowers blue. 



Spathes 2-6-flowered. 1. H. reniformis. 



Spathes 1-flowered. ' 2. H. limosa. 



Flowers yellow. 3. H. dubia. 



