^ 



Gaura. ONAGRACE^. 237 



of the calyx about the length of the tube, rather longer than the spatulate-elliptical petals ; 

 fruit sessile, oval-oblong, somewhat acuminate, tapering at the base, with 4 prominent rounded 

 angles and 4 slight intermediate ribs. — Linn. sp. 1. p. 347 ; Michx. Jl. 1. p. 286 ; Pursh,Jl. 

 l.p. 260 ; Bot. mag. t. 389 ; Ell. sk. I. p. 346; Torr. fl.l.p. 391 ; DC. prodr. 3. p. 44 ; 

 Beck, bot. p. 117; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 598 ; Torr. 4- Gr. Jl. N. Am. 1. p. 517. 



Root biennial. Stem 3-8 feet high, much branched, firm and somewhat ligneous but not 

 suiTrutescent, almost villous with whitish hairs. Lower leaves 3-6 inches long and three- 

 fourths of an inch wide, often strongly toothed, nearly smooth above ; those of the branches 

 much smaller. Flowers at first crowded in a corymbose manner (the long calyx-tubes of the 

 lower ones resembling pedicels) at the summit of the stem and branches, at length spiked. 

 Bracts small, caducous. Sepals linear-lanceolate, rather obtuse. Petals at first very pale or 

 nearly white, finally deep rose-color, inclining towards the upper side of the flower. Stamens 

 about the length of the petals : anthers fixed by the middle, hnear-oblong. Style much longer 

 than the stamens : stigma 4 oblong spreading lobes. Fruit somewhat woody ; the dissepiments 

 often remaining till near maturity. Seeds mostly abortive, seldom more than 2 or 3 of them 

 ripening. 



Dry soil, banks of the Mohawk, Chemung, Hudson, &c. ; rather rare. Not found below 

 the Highlands. August - September. 



4. LUDWIGIA. Linn. ; Torr. <^ Gr. fl. N. Am. 1. p. 523. false loosestrife. 



[ Named in honor of C. G. Ludwio, professor of botany at Leipsic, in the last century.] 



LuDwiGiA and Isnardia, Linn, and most other authors. 



Calyx-tube 4-angled or nearly cylindrical, mostly short, not prolonged above the ovary ; the 

 lobes 4, usually persistent. Petals 4, often minute or wanting. Stamens 4, opposite the 

 lobes of the calyx. Summit of the ovary truncate, or crowned with the dilated base of the 

 style (stylopodium) : style short : stigma capitate. Capsule short (or rarely elongated), 

 4-celled, many-seeded, finally opening by 4 valves. — Perennial, or sometimes annual herbs, 

 growing in wet places. Leaves alternate or opposite, entire. Flowers axillary, or sometimes 

 in terminal spikes or heads. 



f) 1. Euludwigia, Torr. &, Gr. Leaves alternate, sessile. 



1. LuDwiGiA ALTERNiFOLiA, Linn. Sced-box. 



Stem erect, slightly angled by the dccurrcnt petioles, smoothish ; leaves lanceolate, rather 

 acute, narrowed at the base ; flowers axillary, pediccUed, the pedicels with two bracteolcs ; 

 petals scarcely the length of the large ovate, acuminate lobes of the calyx ; capsules with 

 winged angles. — Linn. sp. 1. p.\\%; Lam. ill. t. 77; Ell. sk. 1. p. 217; Bigcl.fl. Bost. p. 60; 

 Torr. 4" Gr. fl. N. Am. 1. p. 522. L. ramosissima, Walt.fl. Car. p. 89. L. macrocarpa, 



