Genus i. 



SPIDERWORT FAMILY 



5. Commelina erecta L. Slender Day-flower. 

 Fig. 1 151. 



Commelina erecta L. Sp. PI. 41. 1753. 



Somewhat pubescent or glabrous, the stems com- 

 monly tufted, erect 1 or ascending, i°-2° tall, the 

 roots somewhat thickened. Leaves linear-lanceo- 

 late, 3'-6' long, 4"-i' wide, acuminate at the apex, 

 narrowed at the base; sheaths i'-i' long, often 

 pubescent; spathes peduncled or sessile, the 2 bracts 

 more or less pubescent, acute or acuminate, distinct, 

 io"-2o" long; flowers 4' or more broad; ovary 

 3-celled, each cell i-ovuled; capsule papery, all its 

 cells -dehiscent, each i-seeded; seeds ash-colored, 

 nearly or quite smooth, puberulent. 



In moist soil, southern Pennsylvania to Florida, Texas 

 and in tropical America. Aug.-Oct. 



6. Commelina hirtella Vahl. Bearded Day- 

 flower. Fig. 1 152. 



Commelina longifolia Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 1 : 23. 1803. 



Not Lam. 1791. 

 'Commelina hirtella Vahl. Enum. 2: 166. 1806. 



C. erecta A. Gray, Man. Ed. 2, 486. 1856. Not L. 1753. 

 Stems stout, erect or ascending, 2°-4° high. 

 Leaves lanceolate, acuminate, roughish, 4'-7' long, 

 l'-li' wide, their sheaths i'-i' long, fringed with 

 long brownish hairs and sometimes pubescent; 

 spathes sessile or short-peduncled, often clustered at 

 the summits of the stem and branches, the 2 bracts 

 acute, united by their margins, rather strongly cross- 

 veined ; ventral cells of the ovary 2-ovuled, the other 

 i-ovuled; capsule 5-seeded; seeds ellipsoid, brown, 

 somewhat more than 1" long, smooth, minutely 

 puberulent. 



In moist soil, southern New Jersey to Missouri, south 

 to Florida and Texas. Aug.-Oct. 



2. CUTHBERTIA Small, Fl. SE. U. S. 237. 1903. 

 Perennial herbs, with mostly tufted stems. Leaves alternate : blades very narrow and 

 elongated. Cymes umbel-like, solitary at the ends of long peduncles, and subtended by 

 very small bracts wholly unlike the leaves. Sepals 3. Petals 3, reddish, pink or rose- 

 purple, distinct. Stamens 6: filaments pubescent. Capsule loculicidally 3-valved. Seed 

 with a rough testa. [In honor of A. Cuthbert, of Augusta, Georgia, a diligent student of 

 the southern flora.] 



Two species, natives of the southeastern United 

 States. Type species : Cuthbertia rosea (Vent.) Small. 



1. Cuthbertia graminea Small. Grass- 

 like Spiderwort. Fig. n 53. 



Tradescantia rosea Chapm. Fl. S. U. S. 498. i860. 



Not Vent. 1800. 

 C. graminea Small, Fl. SE. U. S. 237. 1903. 



_ Stems erect, 2'-8' tall, densely tufted, some- 

 times 100 or more together, commonly simple, 

 slightly zigzag. Leaves quite numerous; blades 

 narrowly linear or linear-filiform, 4'-6' long, or 

 shorter above, mostly J"-i4" broad, acute, mostly 

 erect ; sheaths ciliate : peduncles sometimes over- 

 topping the leaves : cymes 3-15-flowered, simple : 

 pedicels slightly thickened at the apex, becoming 

 about 5" long: sepals oblong-ovate or ovate, 2"- 

 2i" long, glabrous : corollas pink or rose-colored, 

 S"-io" broad : capsules subglobose, about ii" in 

 diameter. 



On sand hills or in sandy woods, Maryland and 

 Missouri to Florida and Texas. April-Aug. 



