CLASS V. ORDER IV., V. 129 



A small, erect, branching plant. Leaves appressed, scale-like, 

 so small, that the plant appears leafless. Branches numerous, 

 subdivided, erect. Flowers small, yellow, with from five to ten 

 stamens and three styles. Capsule oblong, colored. — On sandy 

 soils exposed to the sun. — July, August. 



TETRAGYNIA. 



141. PARNASSIA. 

 Parnassia Caroliniana. Mx. Grass of Parnassus. 



Radical leaves sUborbiculate, nectaries of three bris- 

 tles. Mx. 



Radical leaves roundish ovate, entire, smooth, veined, tapering 

 at base. Scape a foot high, smooth, with five sharp angles, fur- 

 nished about its middle "with one ovate, half clasping leaf. Calyx 

 leaves oblong, obtuse, nerved, brown at the tips. Petals ovate, 

 much longer than the calyx, white, with ten or twelve green 

 nerves, reticulated on the sides at base. Nectaries five, alter- 

 nating with the stamens, each consisting of three equal, filamen- 

 tary branches, ending in yellow, glandular heads. Anthers ob- 

 long. Germ ovate ; style none, stigmas four, sometimes five, at 

 first indistinct, but afterwards prominent and recurved. Capsule 

 ovate, one celled, four or five valved ; receptacles lateral, affixed 

 to the valves. Seeds numerous, ovate. After the anthers have 

 fallen, the nectaries are easily mistaken for stamens by ike inex- 

 perienced. — Wet meadows, Rhode-Island and Connecticut. — 

 August. — Perennial. 



PENTAGYNIA. 



142. ARALIA. 

 Aralia nudicaulis. L. Wild Sarsaparilla. 



Stemless, leaves decompound, scape leafless. 

 Willd. 



A well known aromatic root. It has no stem unless the ter- 

 mination of the root be so considered. Leaves on long stalks, 

 generally subdivided into three times three, or three times five 



