696 ORDER 142. -H^EMODORACEJS. 



branous, convolute into a tube, 3 petajs colored, spreading above; 

 stamens scarcely cohering with the base of the sepals ; ovary free ; 

 capsule elongated, the 3 valves splitting each into 2 layers, of which 

 th ft outer is membranous, .the inner cartilaginous; seeds club-shaped, 

 raised on comous stipes. Plants grayish with scurf, growing on 

 trees. 



1 T. usneoidea L. BLACK Moss. SPANISH Moss. St. filiform, branching, 

 long,flexuous, pendulous; Ivs. recurved, filiform (1 to 2' long) ; peduncle \-flowered, 

 short. Veiy common in the low country, from the Dismal. Swamp, Va. to Fla. 

 and La., hanging in long dark gray tufts and festoons from every tree. It is col- 

 lected, dried and beaten until the bark falls off, when the black, elastic, tough, 

 thread-like stem is used as hair in upholstery, &c. Flowers May Aug. Very 

 different in habit from the next. 



2 T. Bartramii Ell. Stems clustered, erect, simple, enveloped in bract-like 

 sheaths ; Ivs. mostly radical, channeled, linear-subulate, from a dilated, half clasp- 

 ing base, which is brown and polished, much longer than the stem ; fls. 2 to 4, in 

 a bracted, terminal spike. Swamps, Liberty County, Ga. (Pond). Eoot a dense 

 mass of crowns with fibers, "on the bark of old trees" (Elliott). Sts. about 6' 



high, and with the Ivs. (6 to 12') forming dense tufts. Fls Capsule 



9" long, sessile, enveloped in imbricated bracts. Inner valves dark brown. 

 Seed stipe clothed with a long, silky coma. Jn. 



3 T. recurva L. Lvs. subulate, recurved; scape setaceous, erect, longer than 

 the Ivs., bearing about 2 flowers at the summit. On old trees, Ga. and Fla, 

 forming tufts covered with grayish scales. (Pursh.) We saw specimens of this 

 species in the herbarium of Rev. Dr. Bachman, but took no description. 



ORDER CXLII. H^EMODORACE^E. BLOODWOBTS. 



Herbs perennial, with fibrous roots, equitant or rosulate leaves, and perfect flowers. 

 Perianth regular, 6-parted, scurfy or woolly outside, mpre or less adherent. Stam- 

 ens 6, or 3 and opposite the petals, anthers introrse. Ovary 3-celled, 1-styled 

 Capsule covered with tho withered perianth. Seeds with cartilaginous albumen. 



Genera 1:3, species 50, sparingly occurring in N. America, S. Africa, New Holland, &c. Tho 

 root of Lacnantlie* tinctoria abounds in a red coloring mutter. Oncof the most intense bitters 

 known is Aletris farinvza. 



GENERA. 



Ovary wholly adherent. Stamens 3, cxserted. Perianth woolly outside LACNANTHES. 1 



Ovary half free. Btamens C, included. Corymbcd perianths-woolly all over LOMHOLA. 2 



Itaccmed perianths rugous-scurfy ALETKIS. 3 



1. LACNANTHES, Elliott, RED-ROOT. (Gr. Arf^vof, soft hair, 

 ai'Oog .) Perianth woolly outside, tube adherent ; calyx lobes exterior, 

 of 3 linear sepals, as long aa the 3 lance-oblong petals ; stamens 3, 

 equaling the petals nnd opposite to them ; filaments and filiform, de- 

 clined style exserted ; capsule 3-celled, truncated, many-seeded. 

 An herb with red roots, equitant, ensiform Ivs., and a dense, woolly 

 corymb. 



L. tinctoria Ell. Swamps and borders of ponds, B. I. (Olney) to Fla. An in- 

 teresting plant, with rush-like Ivs. St. erect, strict, 18 to 24' high, clothed with 

 white wool above. Lvs. mostly radical, fleshy, 3 to 4" wide and nearly as high 

 as the stem. Cauline Ivs. remote and bract-like. Corymb terminal, compactly 

 many-flowered. Fls. densely clothed with white wool outside, glabrous and yel- 

 low within. Anthers bright yellow, at length revolute. Jl., Aug. (Dilatris, 

 Pursh.) The root is said to be employed in dyeing. 



2. LOPHI'OLA, Kcr. CREST-FLOWER. (Gr. AO</K>, a crest; allud- 

 ing to the crested petals.) Perianth half superior, C-cleft, persistent, 



