ORDER 149. MELANTHA.CBA 717 



Leaves almost acuminate, rounded at base. Anthers f ' long. May. Readfly 

 distinguished by the smooth petals. 



3 IT. sessilifolia L. WILD OATS. Lvs. sessile, lance-oval, glaucous beneath ; capo. 

 stiped, ouaZ-triangular. 2 Can. and U. S. A common species, found in woods 

 and in grass lands. Stem smooth, slender, 6 10' high, dividing at the top into 2 

 branches, one bearing leaves only, the other, leaves and a flower. Leaves smooth 

 and delicate, dark green above, paler beneath, 1 !' long. The flower is cylin- 

 dric, near an inch long, yellowish- white, of 6, long, linear petals. May. 



4 U. pubemla MX. Lvs. amplexicaul and rounded at base, oval of the same 

 shining green both sides, puberulent along the margins, as wett as 4he stem peri- 

 anth segm. acute, smooth both sides ; capsule sessile (no stipe\ ovoid. Mte. Va. 

 to Car. St. 8 to 12' high. Fls. yellowish- white, larger than in U. sessilifolia. 



ORDER CXLIX. MELANTHACEJ2. MELANTHS. 



Herbs perennial, sometimes bulbous, often poisonous, with parallel-veined leaves, 

 perianth double, regular, persistent, of 6 consimilar, green or colored segments, 

 stamens 6, with extrorse anthers, 3 distinct styles and a free, 3-celled ovary, capsule 

 3-celled, 3 -partible or septicidal, and seeds few or many with a thin seed coat 

 Figs. 61, G2, 464. 



Genera 30, specits 130, rather generally diffused in northern countries. 



Properties. The order is generally pervaded by drastic, narcotic and poisonous qualities, moct 

 powerful in Veratrum and Colchicum. The conns and seeds of the latter are the most impor- 

 tant medicinal products of the order. Their virtue is due to an alkaline principle called vera- 

 tria, which is found in this genus, as well as in most of the others. 



GENERA. 

 Anthers 1-celled, extrorse, cordate, becoming peltate by opening. (*) 



* Inflorescence paniculate, or a raceme somewhat branched at base, (a) 



a Sepals glandular at base inside, clawed. Stamens perigynous ........ MELAjmimc 1 



a Sepals glandular at base inside, clawed. Stamens bypogynous ......... ZHJADERU&. 2 



a Sepals not gland bearing. Stamens perigynous ........................ YEBATKCM. S 



* Inflorescence racemous, with white flowers. Stamens perigynous ....... AMIANTHIUM. 4 



* Inflorescence spicate, with green flowers. Stamens hypogynous ...... SCH^SOCACLON. 5 



$ Anthers 2-celIed, extrorse. Capsule loculicidal. Flowers racemous. (b) 



b Flowers perfect. Filaments dilated at base. Ovary cells 2-ovuled ..... XEEOPBTLHTM. 6 



b Flowers perfect. Filaments filiform. vary cells 00-ovuled .............. HELONIAB. T 



b Flowers dioecious, white. Stem leafy ................................. CIIAJLKLIBUJJI. S 



{ Anthers 2-celled, introrse. Capsule septicidal. Flowers racemous. (c) 



C Stamens 6. Flowers greenish or yellowish, 9 to 40 ....................... TOFIELDIA. 9 



C Stamens 9 to 12. Flowers deep yellow, 6 to 9, mostly 6 ................. - ...... PLEZA. 10 



1. MELAHTHIUM, Gronov. (Gr. ^'/.ac, black, dvOo^ flower; a 



false name if applied to the yellowish flowers.) Flowers monoeciously 



polygamous; perianth rotate, 6-parted, segments oblong, acutish, cor- 



date or auricled, and with 1 or 2 glandular, brownish, spots at base ; 



the claws bearing the stamens ; ovary often abortive , capsule exserted, 



subovoid, trifid at the summit and tipped with 3 persistent styles ; seeds 



broadly winged. St. erect, thickened at base, bearing an open pyrami- 



dal panicle of simple racemes. Lvs. lanceolate, varying to linear. 



M. Virginicum L. "Wet meadows and margins of swamps, "Wis. to K". Y. and 



Fla. St. 3 to 4f high, leafy. Lvs. about a foot long, 6'' to 2' wide, sessile, on a 



contracted and subclasping base. Fls. about 8" broad, on short pedicels, arranged 



in simple, alternate racemes, and together constituting a pyramidal panicle 10 to 



15' in length. Lower fls. generally sterile. Jl., Aug. 



P. HYBRTDUM. Lower Ivs. lanceolate and lance-oval A larger growth. (M. 

 hybridum R. & S.) 



2. ZIGADE'NUS, MX. ZIGADENE. (Gr. ^evyc^ a pair, ddrjv, a gland.) 

 Perianth deeply 6-parted, spreading, colored, each segment with 2 glands 



