GENTIANACE^E. 



403 



Fig. 208. 



parted ; segments elliptical, each with a fimbriated hollow, .but no scale. Stamens 4, 

 short, the filaments connected at base. Anthers incumbent. Ovary 1-celled, with a 

 single style arid' two short stigmas. Capsule compressed, bivalved, 1-ceJJed, with several 

 winged seeds. 



A North American genus of a few species of perennial herbs, with oppo- 

 site and verticillate leaves. It was first described by Walter, who named it 

 in honour of a Mr. Fraser. Linnaeus considered the only species then known 

 to belong to Swertia, in which he was followed by' Sir J. E. Smith. 



F. carolinensis, Walter. — Stem tall, striated, glabrous. Leaves verticillate, lanceo- 

 late-oblong, sessile. 



Walter, Fl. Carol. 87; Barton, Veg. Mat. Med., ii. 103; Rafinesque, 

 Med. Flor., i. 196 ; Griffith, Jour. Phil. Coll. Pharm., iii. 269. 



Common Names. — American Columbo; Columbia; Indian lettuce, &c. 



Description. — Root triennial ? 

 large, yellow, rugose, horizontal. 

 The whole plant smooth, stem from 

 five to ten feet high, cylindrical, 

 erect, solid. Leaves verticillate, ses- 

 sile, entire ; the radical elliptical and 

 obtuse, long ; cauline ones smaller 

 and narrower. Flowers yellowish- 

 white, numerous, forming a large 

 pyramidal panicle; peduncles leafy 

 or bracteate. Calyx deeply four-cleft, 

 spreading; segments lanceolate, acute, 

 persistent, nearly as long as the co- 

 rolla. Corolla with four elliptic seg- 

 ments, flat and spreading ; margin 

 somewhat inflexed, a fimbriated pit 

 in the centre of each. Stamens four, 

 alternate with the segments ; fila- 

 ments short, subulate ; anthers oval, 

 oblong. Ovary compressed, bearing 

 a short style with two short stigmas. 

 Capsule yellowish, oval, acuminate, 

 compressed ; margin thin, two-valved, 

 1-seeded. Seeds flat, elliptical, 

 winged. 



It occurs to the west of the 

 Alleghany Mountains, from 

 New York to Alabama, in rich 

 woody lands and meadows. It 

 is one of the tallest of our her- 

 baceous plants, sometimes at- 

 taining an elevation of ten feet, 

 with a pyramid of flowers of 

 three or four feet in length. 

 There is some difference of opi- 

 nion as to its duration ; Rafi- 

 nesque stating that it is strictly 

 a triennial, whilst other bota- 

 nists agree in considering it to 

 be a biennial. It was first dis- 

 covered by Wm. Bartram, who 

 speaks of it in his travels under 

 the name of Indian lettuce. 



F. carolinensis. 



