238 



21. Melampyrum L., Sp. PI. 605. 1753 

 Type species, M. cristatum L. of Europe 



Main stem-leaves linear or lanceolate-linear. Bracts 

 conspicuously fimbriate near base, with teeth fre- 

 quently as long as the width of the blade. Capsules 

 mostly 6-7 mm. long, curved and usually attenuate- 

 beaked. Seeds 2-2.5 mm. long, brown to blackish. i. M. lineare. 



Main stem-leaves linear-lanceolate to nearly ovate. 

 Bracts slightly or not fimbriate near base, the teeth 

 shorter than the width of the blade. Capsules fre- 

 quently larger, reaching 8-9 mm. long, slightly or 

 not curved and less or not attenuate-beaked. Seeds 

 often larger, reaching 3 mm. long, usually black. la. M. lineare latifoUum, 



I. Melampyrum lineare Desr. ; Lam. Encyc. 4: 22. 1796. 

 "Rapportee de la Caroline par M. Eraser . . . (v.s.) " 

 Description made from a very small and young plant, 

 but certainly of the form here considered. Characteriza- 

 tion of calyx as 5-toothed surely erroneous. 

 Flowering from mid- June to September, and soon ripening 

 fruit. 



Sandy soil, pineland and in open deciduous woodland, common 

 throughout the Coastal Plain; inland occasional and mostly 

 transitional to var. latifoUum. Ranges from Massachusetts to 

 North Carolina, and, including varieties, inland northward 

 across the continent. 

 la. Melampyrum lineare latifolium (Muhl.) Beauverd 



Melampyrum americanum _ Michx. Fl. Bor. Amer. 2: 16. 

 1803. "Hab. a sinu Hudsonis ad montosam Carolinam. 

 [A. Michaux]." Description evidently of the prevalent 

 inland broader-leaved plant. 

 Melampyrum latifolium Muhl. [Cat. 57. 1813. nomen 

 nudum]] Eaton, Man. Bot. N. & M. St. ed. II 316. 1818. 

 From Muhlenberg's Catalog, the type station is in Dela- 

 ware. Type not seen, but evidently is of the inland 

 broader-leaved plant. 

 Melampyrum americanum latifolium (Muhl.) Eaton, I.e. ed. 



III. 350. 1822. 

 Melampyrum pratense americanum (Michx.) Benth. in DC. 

 Prod. 10: 584. 1846. 



