Ordeb 95.— GENTIANACB^. 587 



glands at the base of the spur within; stigmas 2, terminating the 



acuminate ovary ; capsule 1-celled ; seeds indefinite, obtuse^ fixed to 



the sutures of the valves. — Erect, branching. 



H. defleza Griseb. St. erect, leafy; Ivs. 3 to 5- veined, radical ones oblong-spatn- 

 late, tapering into a petiole, oauliue ones oblong-lanceolate, acute, sessile ; spurs 

 cylindric, obtuse, deflexed, half as long as the corolla. — ® Swanaps, Can., Ban- 

 gor, Maine (Miss Towle), N. T., and Wis., rare. Stem about 18' high, obtusely 

 4-angled, smooth, with few branches above. Leaves l-J — 2' long, -J as wide. 

 Flowers greenish-yellow, in terminal fascicles. Corolla persistent, with 4 spread- 

 ing horns or spurs descending between the sepals. Aug. (Swertia Mx.) 



7. OBOLA'RIA, L. Pennywort. (Gr. 6(ioX6g, a small coin ; from 

 the form of the leaves.) Calyx of 2 cuneate-oblong sepals or bracts ; 

 corolla tubular-campanulate, marescent, 4-cleft, lobes entire or crenu- 

 late ; stamens inserted on the corolla at the clefts ; stigma subpapitate, 

 bifid ; capsule 1-celled, 2-valved ; seeds oo, very minute. — 7i Lvs. op- 

 posite. Fls. axillary and terminal, sessile, with leaf-like sepals. 



O. Virgfnioa L. Penn. to Oar., W. to Ky., in woods. Stem 4 — 8' high, often in 

 clusters, subsimple or with a few opposite branches above. Leaves cuneate-obo- 

 vate or roundish-rhomboidal, sessile and decurrent at base, fleshy, obtuse or trun- 

 cate at apex, lower ones small and remote, upper crowded, glaucous-purple, sepals 

 or bracts similar. Corolla pale purple or whitish, longer than the stamens. Cap- 

 sule ovoid, obtuse, surrounded by the withered coroUa. Apr., May. 



8. MENYAN'THES, Toiirn. Buck Bean. (Gr. ju»jv, a month, av0o? -, 

 reputed an emenagogue.) Calyx 5-parted ; corolla rotate or funnel- 

 form, limb spreading, 5-lobed, villous within, without glands at the base ; 

 stamens 5; style 1 ; stigma bifid; capsule 1-celled. — Bitter herbs, ac- 

 tively medicinal. Lvs. trifoliate. 



M. trifoliata L. Grows in swamps, margins of ponds, etc., N. Am. N. of lati- 

 tude 38°. This fine plant arises from large, black roots descending deep into the 

 boggy earth. Stem 8 — 12' high, round. Leaves on long, round footstalks sti- 

 puled at base. Leaflets obovate. Peduncle long, naked, terminal, bearing a pyra- 

 midal raceme of flesh-colored flowers. Pedicels thick, bracteate at base. Sepals 

 obtuse, about a third as long as the cqroUa. Petals acute, about as long as tlie 

 stamens, remarkably and beautifully distinguished by the soft, fringe-like hairs at 

 the base and in the throat of the tube. May. 



9. LIMNAN'THEMUM, Gmel. Floating Heart. (Gr. Xifivq, a 

 lake or pool, avOefiov, a flower ; from its aquatic abode.) Calyx o-parted ; 

 corolla 5-parted, rotate, segm. furnished with a glandular scale at base, 

 often bristly ; stamens 5 ; style short or none ; stigma 2-lobed ; capsule 

 many-seeded, 1-celled, opening by decay. — 21 Curious aquatics, gener- 

 ally in stagnant water. Petioles long, bearing the flowers in an um- 

 bellate cyme below the roundish leaf, and oblong or cylindric tubers 

 capable of producing new plants. (Villarsia Vent.) 



1 L. lacundsum Griseb. Lvs. smaM (1 to 2' diam.), orbicular, cordate, entire 

 smooth above, pitted and rugous beneath ; cor. segm. twice as long as calyx, broad- 

 obovate, smooth, gland at base, subsessile, hairy ; caps, ovoid, little longer than the 

 calyx ; seeds not muricate, shining. — In shallow waters, Me., Mass., N. T. to Car. 

 Petioles 1 to 3f long. Leaf 1 to 2' diam., lobes diverging and somewhat angled, 

 upper surface green, lower purplish. Umbel half an inch below the blade, sub- 

 meraed pendulous, the fls. one by one rising above the water as they expand. 

 Cor. T to 8" broad, white, tube and glands yellow. Jl. (V. cordata EIL T. 

 lacunosa Vent.) 



2 L. trachyBp^rmum Gray. Lvs. reni/orm, oval or orbicular, somewhat peltate, 

 coriaceous, obscurely crenate, smooth above, spongy and pitted beneath ; cor. 



