Obdeb 149.— MBLANTHACE^ 71V 



Leaves almost acuminate, rounded at base. Anthers J' long. May. — Beadily 

 distinguished by the smooth petals. 



3 XT. sessilifolia L. Wild Oats. I/vs. sessile, lance-opal, glaucous beneath ; caps, 

 ttiped, OT'ai-triangular. — If Can. and U. S. A common species, found in woods 

 and in grass lands. Stem smooth, slender, 6 — 10' high, dividing at the top into 2 

 branches, one bearing leaves only, the other, leaves and a flower. Leaves smooth 

 and delicate, darlc green above, paler beneath, 1 — 1 J' long. The flower is cylin- 

 dric, near an inch long, yellowish-white, of 6, long, linear petals. May. 



4 tl. puberula Mx. Lvs. amplexicaul and rounded at base, oval, of the samie 

 sliming green hoih sides, pubei-ukni along the margins, as well as the stem ; peri- 

 anth segm. acute, smooth both sides ; capsule sessile (no stipe), ovoid. — Mts. Va. 

 to Car. St. 8 to 12' high. Els. yellowish- white, larger than in U. sessilifoliai 



Ordbh CXLIX. MELANTHACE.^. Melanths. 



Berbs perennial, sometimes bulbous, often poisonous, with parallel-veined leaves, 

 perianth double, regular, persistent, of 6 consimilar, green or colored segments, 

 stamens C, with oxtrorse anthers, B distinct styles and a free, 3-celled ovary, capsule 

 .■i-celled, 3-partiblo or septicidal, and seeds few or many v?ith a thin seed ooat. 

 Pigs. Gl, G2, 464, 



Genera 20, ftpecip.s 180, rather generally diffused in nortliorn countries. 



Properiien. — The order is geiievnlly iicrvaded by drastic, narcotic and poisonous qualities, moet 

 jx)werfnl in Veratrnni .and Colcliicum. The cortns and seeds of the latter are the most Impor- 

 tant medicinal products of tlio order. Their virtue is due to nn alkaline principle called vera- 

 trio, which is found in this genus, as well as in most of the others. 



GENERA. 



§ Anthers 1-celled, extrorso, cordate, becoming peltate by openifag. (*) 



• Inflorescence paniculate, or a raceme somewhat branched at base, (a) 



a Sepals glandular at base inbide, clawed. Stamens perigynous Mei.antiiium. 1 



a Sepals glandular at base inside, clawed. Stamens bypogynous ZlGADEmrs. 3 



a Sepals not gland bearing. Stamens perigynous Veeatrdm. 8 



'■' Inflorescence racemous, with white flowers. Stamens perigynous Amiabtihum. 4 



♦ Infloresccnco spicate, with green flowers. Stamens hypogynous Soir,amocAXJLON. 5 



§ Anthers 2-celled, exti-orse. Capsule loculicidal. Flowers racemous. (b) 



b Flowers perfect. Filaments dilated at base. Ovary cells 2-ovuled XEUOPnTLLUM. 6 



b Flowers perfect. Filaments filiform. Ovary colls 00 -oviiled IIklonias. f 



b Flowers dioacious, white. Stem leafy CnAM.BLiEiuiL S 



§ Anthers 2-celled,introrsc. Capsule septicidal. Flowers racemous. (c) 



O Stamens 6. Flowers greenish or yellowish, 9 to 40 Tofielma. 9 



Stamens 9 to 12. Flowers deep ytfllow, 6 to 9, mostly ■ Plf.ea. 10 



1. fflELAN'THIUM, Gronov. (Gr. fiiXac, black, dvOog, flower; a 

 false name if applied to the yollowisli. flowers.) Flowers moiioeciously 

 polygamous; perianth rotate, 6-parted, segments oblong, acutish, cor- 

 date or auricled, and witli 1 or 2 glandular, brownish spots at base; 

 the claws bearing the stamens ; ovary often abortive, capsule exserted, 

 subovoid, trifid at the summit and tipped with 3 persistent styles ; seeds 

 broadly winged. — St. erect, thickened at base, bearing an open pyrami- 

 dal panicle of simple racemes. Lvs. lanceolate, varying to linear. 



M. Virginicum L. TVet meadows and margins of swamps. Wis. to N. T. and 

 Fla. St. 3 to 4f high, leafy. Lvs. about a foot long, 6'' to 2' wide, sessile, on a 

 contracted and subclasping base. Fla. about 8" broad, on short pedicels, arranged 

 in simple, alternate racemes, and together constituting a pyramidal panicle 10 to 

 15' in length. Lower fls. generally sterUo. Jl., Aug. 



p. HYBEIDUM. Lower lv.s. lanceolate and lanco-ovaL — A larger growth, (il. 

 liybridum R. & S.) 



2. ZIGADE'NUS, Mx. ZiaADENE. (Gt. ^evyog, a'^paiv, ddrjv, n gland.) 

 Periantli deeply 0-parted, spreading, colored, each segment with 2 glands 



