7o6 



DIAPENSIACEAE. 



Vol. II. 



and broad; anther-cells pointed, divergent, obliquely 2-valved ; staminodia none. Style 

 slender; ovules numerous in the cells, anatropous. Seeds oblong-cubic, the testa close, 

 reticulated. [Greek, by fives, alluding to the stamens and corolla-lobes.] 



Two species, the following typical one of wide distribution in the colder parts of the northern 

 hemisphere, the other Himalayan. 



I. Diapensia lapponica L. Diapensia. 

 Fig. 3278. 



Diapensia lapponica L. Sp. PI. 141. 1753. 



Glabrous, forming dense cushion-like tufts; stems 

 simple or branched, erect or ascending, i'-3' high. 

 Leaves crowded below, thick, spatulate, sessile, obtuse 

 or acutish, often curved, entire, 3"-6" long, about l" 

 wide, the margins usually revolute ; peduncles rather 

 stout, becoming i'-2' long in fruit ; sepals and bracts 

 oval; corolla usually white, 3"-4" long, its tube about 

 the length of the sepals and of its oval or oblong obtuse 

 lobes ; capsule ovoid, 2"-3" high. 



Summits of the Adirondack Mountains, and of the moun- 

 tains of New England'; Mt. Albert, Quebec: Labrador and 

 arctic America. Also in northern and alpine Europe and 

 Asia. June-July. 



2. PYXIDANTHERA Michx. Fl. Bor. Sm. i : 152. pi. 17. 1803. 



A creeping tufted much-branched evergreen shrub, with small narrow alternate imbri- 

 cated leaves, and numerous white or pinkish sessile flowers, solitary at the ends of the 

 branches. Calyx bracted at the base, the sepals oblong, ciliate. Corolla short-campanulate, 

 S-lobcd, tardily deciduous. Stamens inserted' at the sinuses of the corolla; filaments broad 

 and thick; anthers 2-celIed, the sacs globose, transversely 2-valved, the lower valve cuspi- 

 date ; staminodia none. Style columnar. Seeds globose-oblong, amphitropous, the testa 

 black, cancellate. [Greek, box-anther.] 



A monotypic genus of eastern North America. 



I. Pyxidanthera barbulata JMiclix. Pyxie. 

 Flowering Moss. Fig. 3279. 



Pyxidanthera barbulata Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. i: 152. pi. 



17. 1803. 

 Diapensia barbulata Ell. Bot. S. C. & Ga. i : 229. 1817. 



Glabrous, or sparingly pubescent, very leafy, grow- 

 ing in mats or large patches on the ground, the main 

 branches sometimes 1° long. Leaves' sessile, linear, 

 lanceolate or linear-oblong, acuminate or subulate- 

 tipped, entire, pubescent at the base when young. 

 2"-4" long, about i" wide, densely imbricated toward 

 the ends of the branches , more scattered below ; 

 flowers usually very numerous, 2"-3" broad, mostly 

 white ; corolla-lobes cuneate-obovate, obtuse, retuse 

 or eroded; capsule about i" high, globose, sessile, 

 surrounded by the upper leaves. 



In dry sandy pine-barrens, southern New Jersey to 

 North Carolina. Called alsopine-barren beauty. Flowers 

 sometimes pinkish. March-May. 



3. GALAX L. Sp. PI. 200. 1753. 



An acaulescent perennial herb, with orbicular cordate crenate-dentate long-petioled basal 

 leaves, and numerous small white flowers, spicate-racemose at the ends of tall mostly naked 

 slender scapes. Calyx minutely 2-bracteolate at the base, S-parted, the sepals nerveless. 

 Corolla S-divided, the petals oblong, entire, adnate to the bases of the monadelphous stamens. 

 Stamen-tube lo-lobed at the summit, the lobes which are opposite the petals petaloid (stami- 

 nodia), those alternate with the petals antheriferous ; anthers' nearly sessile, granular on the 

 back, i-celled, transversely 2-valved. Style very short. Seeds ovoid, the testa loose. [Greek, 

 milk; name not characteristic of this genus.] 



A monotypic genus of southeastern North America. 



