BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 79 



that botanists will thoroughly examine this work during the com- 

 ing season that this paper is presented, and any specimens which 

 will correct either the characters or ranges given will be received 

 as a great favor. Of course work done at the Harvard Herba- 

 rium is of itself an acknowledgment of the great courtesy that 

 prevails there, and the patient criticism given to these pages by 

 Dr. Gray has given to them probably their greatest value. 



Our three genera may be grouped and characterized as fol- 

 lows : 



•■■ Hypogynous glands none. 



1. Ascyrum. Sepals 4, very unequal, decussate; the two outer very 

 broad and flat; the inner much smaller. Petals 4, oblique, convolute in aesti- 

 vation, deciduous. Stamens numerous, distinct. Ovary one-celled, with 2 to 

 4 parietal placent.T: styles 2 to 4, distinct or united below: stigmas not capi- 

 tate. Capsule ovoid. 



2. Hypericum. Sepals 5 (rarely 4), similar. Petals 5 (rarely 4), ob- 

 lique, convolute in aestivation, deciduous or marcescent. Stamens numerous 

 (sometimes few), in 3 or 5 clusters : filaments distinct or united at the very base 

 into phalanges. Ovary one-celled with parietal placent.'v, or 3 to 5celled with 

 placentae in the axis : styles 3 to 5, distinct or united even to the apex : stigmas 

 often cai)itate. Capsule conical to globose. 



■'•■ * Hypogynous glands three. 



3. Elodea. Sepals 5, equal. Petals 5, equal-sided, imbricate in aestiva- 

 tion, deciduous. Stamens 9 (rarely more), strongly triadelphous ; the large 

 orange-colored glands alternating with the phalanges. Ovary 3-celled : styles 

 3, distinct : stigmas not capitate. Capsule elongated-oblong. 



1. ASCYRUM L. St. Peter's-wort. 



Low suffruticose leafy plants ; with small black-dotted leaves and 

 nearly solitary light vellovv flowers ; pedicels bibracteolate. — Gen. 

 903; Torr. & Gray, Fl. i. 156 & 671; Gray, Gen. HI. i. 211, t. 

 91 ; Benth. & Hook. Gen. Plant, i. 164, excl. syn. IsophyUim. — 

 A genus of 5 species, peculiar to Eastern North America and the 

 West Indies. 



■• Ditl'use : branches somewhat two-edged and winged above : leaves nar- 

 rowed at the base, not clasping: inner sepals very small (about half line long) 

 or obsolete, petaloid : petals about as long as the outer sepals: styles two, dis- 

 tinct or united. 



t Pedicels long (| to ^ inch), bibracteolate near the base: inner sepals 

 obsolete or nearly so : styles as long as the ovary. 



1. A. puniilnm Miohx. Low (3 to 9 inches), with spreading 

 branches: leaves linear-oblong to oval, sometimes spatulate or 

 narrowly obovate, .2 to 4 lines long, about a line wide: pedicels 

 becoming more or less reflexed : petals obovate, little longer than 



