278 FLORA. 



long ; filaments longer than the anthers ; berries dark red, globose, 4-6 mm. in 

 diameter, usually 2 -seeded. In thickets, Va. to Ark., Fla. arid Tex. March-Aug. 



Family 6. HAEMODORACEAE R. Br. 



Bloodwort Family, 



Perennial herbs with erect stems, narrowly linear leaves, and regular 

 or somewhat irregular small perfect flowers in terminal cymose panicles. 

 Perianth 6-parted or 6-lobed, adnate to the ovary, persistent. Stamens 

 3, opposite the 3 inner perianth-segments. Ovary wholly or partly in- 

 ferior, 3-celled or rarely i -celled ; ovules usually few in each cavity, half- 

 anatropous ; style mostly slender ; stigma small, entire or 3-grooved. 

 Fruit a loculicidally 3-valved capsule. Seeds few or rarely numerous ; 

 embryo small, in fleshy endosperm. About 9 genera and 35 species, 

 mostly natives of South Africa and Australia, a few in tropical America ; 

 only the following genus in the north temperate zone. 



1. GYROTHECA Salisb. 



A rather stout herb, with a short rootstock, red fibrous roots and equitant leaves, 

 the basal ones longer than those of the stem. Flowers numerous, yellowish, small, 

 in a dense woolly tymose panicle. Perianth 6-parted to the summit of the ovary, 

 the outer segments smaller than the inner. Filaments filiform, longer than the 

 perianth ; anthers linear-oblong, versatile. Ovary 3-cclled ; ovules few in each 

 cavity, borne on fleshy placentae ; style very slender, declined. Capsule enclosed 

 by the withering-persistent perianth, nearly globular, 3-valved. Seeds about 6 in 

 each cavity, flattened, nearly orbicular, peltate. (Greek, referring to the round 

 fruit.) A monotypic genus of southeastern N. Am. and the W. I. 



I. Gyrotheca tinctoria (Walt. ) Salisb. RED-ROOT. (I. F. f. 1061.) Stem 

 4-8 dm. tall, glabrous below, pubescent or woolly above. Leaves 4-10 mm. wide, 

 acuminate, the basal ones shorter than the stem, the upper reduced to bracts; 

 panicle 5-13 cm. broad, almost capitate when young, white-woolly; flowers 

 8 -10 mm. broad, bracteolate, the perianth yellow and glabrous within; style about 

 as long as the stamens; pedicels stout, about as long as the capsule; capsule about 

 6 mm. in diameter. In swamps, E. Mass, to N. J. and Fla., mostly in pine barrens 

 near the coast. Also in Cuba. July-Sept. (Gyrotheca capitata Morong.) 



Family 7. AMARYLLIDACEAE Lindl. 



Amaryllis Family. 



Perennial herbs (some tropical species woody or even arboreous), 

 with bulbs or rootstocks, scapose or sometimes leafy stems and usually 

 narrow and entire leaves. Flowers perfect, regular or nearly so. Perianth 

 6-parted or 6-lobed, the segments or lobes distinct, or united below into 

 a tube which is adnate to the surface of the ovary (adnate only to the 

 lower part of the ovary in Lophiola). Stamens 6 in our genera, inserted 

 on the bases of the perianth-segments or in the throat of the perianth 

 opposite the lobes. Anthers versatile or basifixed, 2-celled, the sacs 

 usually longitudinally dehiscent. Ovary wholly or partly inferior, usually 

 3-celled. Style filiform, entire, lobed, or cleft into 3 stigmas at the 

 summit. Ovules usually numerous, rarely only i or 2 in each cavity of 

 the ovary, anatropous. Fruit capsular, rarely fleshy. Seeds mostly black, 

 the embryo small, enclosed in fleshy endosperm. About 70 genera and 

 800 species, principally natives of tropical and warm regions, some in the 

 tern oerate zone 



