Flora of the Palouse Region 59 



the whitish calyx-lobes little spreading, acute, puberulent above, about 

 equalling the green tube: fruit nut-like, globose or ovoid, 7-10 mm. long, 

 glaucous, reticulated, tipped by the persistent calyx. Gravelly soil, bluffs 

 of Snake River. Xuts edible. 



Family 23. ARISTOLOCHIACEAE. 



Herbs or shrubs, acaulescent or with erect or twining leafy 

 stems: leaves alternate or basal, petioled, mostly cordate or kidney- 

 shaped, without stipules: flowers axillary or terminal, solitary or 

 clustered, perfect, mostly large: calyx-tube adnate to the ovary, 

 its limb 3-lobed, 6-lobed or irregular: petals none: stamens 6-many, 

 on the pistil: ovary partly or wholly inferior, mostly 6-celled; 

 ovules numerous in each cavity: seeds ovoid or oblong, angled or 

 compressed. 



91. AS ARUM. 



Acaulescent perennial often clustered herbs, with slender aro- 

 matic branched rootstocks: roots thick, fibrous-fleshy: leaves long- 

 petioled, cordate, ovate, hastate or orbicular, entire: flowers soli- 

 tary, large, peduncled, purple-brown or mottled, borne very near 

 or upon the ground: calyx campanulate or hemispheric, adnate to 

 the ovar3 r , at least below, regularly 3-lobed: stamens 12, inserted 

 on the ovary: -ovary partly or wholly inferior, 6-celled, the parietal 

 placentae intruded; ovules numerous: capsule coriaceous; seeds 

 compressed. 



A. caudatum Lindl. Sparsely hairy throughout: rootstocks elongate, 

 10-30 cm. long: leaves reniform-cordate, 5-10 cm. broad, obtuse or acutish; 

 petioles slender, elongate: peduncles 2-4 cm. long; flowers brown-purple: 

 calyx-lobes oblong-lanceolate, attenuate, 2-5 cm. long. Deep woods, Cedar 

 Mountain. 



Family 24. POLYGON ACE AE. 



Herbs or shrubs: leaves alternate or sometimes opposite or 

 whorled, simple, mostly entire, with usually sheathing united 

 stipules (ocreae): flowers small, regular, perfect, dioecious, mon- 

 oecious or polygamous, in spikes, racemes, corymbs, umbels or 

 panicles: petals none: calyx inferior, free from the ovary, 2-6-cleft 

 or parted, the segments sometimes petal-like: stamens 2-9, inserted 

 near the base of the calyx or in the staminate flowers crowded 

 toward the center: pistil 1; ovary superior, 1 -celled; ovule 1: fruit 

 a lenticular 3-angled, rarely 4-angled, akene: endosperm mealy. 



Flowers subtended by involucres. 92. eriocom m. 



Flowers not involucrate. 



Sepals 6: stigmas 3, tufted.. 93. rimkx. 



Sepals 4-6, usually 5: stigmas capitate. 94. POLYGONUM. 



