OnnF.n m. COMMELYNACE^E. 353 



p. obtwtata. Heads 5-flowered; sepals and pod green, obtuse, mucronate. Phila 

 y. insis-nis. Panicle erect, few-flowered ; outer sepals cuspidate, inner obtuse. 



22 J. mllitarls Bw. Bayonet R. Stem stout, 2 3f, Bearing a single terete leaf neai 

 the middle, which overtops the panicle ; heads 5-15-flowered ; sepals brownish, acute, 

 as long as the acuminate capsule. Bogs, coastward, N. Eug. 10 Del. 



23 J. nodosus L. Stem slender. 2- or 3-lvd. ; Ivs. slender, the upper (bracts) ovevtop 

 ping the cluster ; heads few (1 9), approximate, 5-50-flowered ; sepals brown, lance- 

 subulate, shorter than the beaked capsule. Wet sands, Can. to Car. 



8. tnetracSphalus. Stout, 3f, upper leaf and bract exceeding the simple cluster ; 

 beads 50-80-flowered, green : outer sepals subulate-awned, as long as the pod. 



24 J. aciimlnatus MX. Stems 2- or 3-leaved ; hds. 3-15-flowered, in a loose spread 

 ing panicle exceeding the bract ; sepals lance-subulate, nearly equalling the short- 

 pointed brown pod ; seeds minute, acute at both ends. May, June. 



/3. deblU*. Slender or stout ; hds. 3-7-flwd. ; pod exserted. N. J., Ky., and S. 9' 3f. 

 y. Irji-iifniux, Heads 8-15-flowered ; pods scarcely exserted. (J. Pondii C-B.) 



25 J. Elllottii Chapm. Stem, leaves, and panicle very erect, 1 2f ; hds. 5-8-fl wd., fls. 

 1" ; sepals lanceolate, as long as the turgid-ovoid, blackish pod ; seeds acute. April. 



26 J. brachycarpus Eng. Strict, rigid, 11 2Jf; leaves 2 3; bract short; hds. round, 

 dense. 50-flwd., pale, few (2 10) ; 3 outer sepals awned, much longer than pod. W. 



/3. ? H '//. Pan. spreading ; pod ovoid, blunt, little shorter than the sep. 111. (Wolf). 



27 .f. sclrpoid.es Lam. Rigid, 2f; heads and bract as in the last; style usually ex- 

 eerted; sepals pungent-awned, equalling the taper-pointed pod. N. Y. to Ga. 



Stout, 3f: heads 60-90-flwd., brownish, distant ; Ivs. flattened. 



ORDER CLI. COMMELYNACE^E. SPIDERWORTS. 



Herbs with flat, narrow leaves, sheathing at base. Sepals 3, green, petah 

 .'!, colored. Stamens 6, some of them usually deformed or abortive. Styles. 

 and stigmas united into one. Capsule 2- or 3-valved. Seeds 3 or more. 



Flowers irregular, clustered in a spathe-like, cordate, floral leaf ..................... COMMELYNA. 1 



Flowers regular, clustered. Floral leaves like the rest. Stamens 6 ................. TRADESCANTIA. 2 



S Flowers regular, solitary, axillary. StanengS. Mow-like herbs ................... MATACA. 3 



1. COMMELYNA, Dill. Fls. irregular, 3 of the stamens sterile, with 

 glands for anthers. Caps. 3-celled, one of the cells abortive or 1-seeded. 

 Leaves contracted to the sheathing base. Floral leaf or spathe erect in 

 How or, recurved before and after. Petals blue, open but a few hours. 



1 C. communist L. Procumbent and much branched ; Ivs. lance-ovate, rounded at 



base ; spathe lateral, 2-6-flowered ; odd petal reniform. Wet soils, S. June Nov. 

 I C. Cayennensis Rich. Procumbent, glabrous, with small (1J 2f) ovate-oblong, 



obtuse leaves ; spathe lateral, 3-4-flowered ; odd petal round-ovate. Banks, 111. to La. 

 J C. Virgiiilca L. Stem weak, ascending; Ivs. lanceolate to linear; spathe broad 



cordate when open ; odd petal very small, raised on a claw. Dry. M., S., W. Jl., Aug 

 k C. erecta L. Erect, pubescent, sheaths hairy ; leaves lanceo'.ate ; spathe hawk-bill 



shaped, its base-lobes united : petals nearly equal. Woods, Pa., W. and S. Jl., Aug 



2. TRADESCANTIA, L. SPIDERWORT. Fls. regular. Sep. persistent, 

 pet. large, roundish, spreading. Fil clothed with jointed hairs, anth. reni 

 form. Caps. 3-celled. 11 Fls. in terminal, close umbels. Juice viscid. 



i T. Vlrgiiilea L. Umbels sessile, terminal and axillary, with leafy bracts ; ped. soon 

 reflexed ; floweri ephemeral, of a rich deep blue ; leaves linear, channelled ; stem 

 Hiick, jointed. * 3f. Damp. M., S.. W Cultivated. 



