112 TETRANDRIA MONOGTNIA 



79. OBOLARIA. /,. Nutt. Gen. 152. 

 [Greek, Obolos, a small Athenian coin ; which the leaves are said to resemble.] 



Calyx of 2 cuneate-oblong sopals, or rather bracts. Corolla tubular- 

 campanulate, 4-clcft ; lobes entire, or crenulatc. Stamens inserted on 

 the corolla at the clefts. Stigma subcapitate, bifid. Capsule ovoic^, 

 1-celled, 2-valved, many-seeded. Seeds very minute. 



Herbaceous : leaves opposite ; (lowers axillary and terminal, sessile, with folia- 

 ceous sepals, or bracts. Nat. Ord. li)7. LindL Gentiankjb. 



1. O. yiroixica,/*. Leaves cuneate-obovate, or subrhoroboid, often 

 truncate, sessile ; flowers opposite, or terminal by threes. Beck, Hot. p, 

 244. Icon, Bart. Am. 3. tab. 90. Also, Florul. Cestr. tab. 2. 



Virginian obol ari a. / 'ulgo — Penny-wort 



Root perennial ) Stem 3 to 6 or 8 inches high, often several from the same root 

 nearly simple, or with a few opposite axillary branches above, smooth ami fleshy. 

 Leaves rather fleshy, of a purplish green, somewhat crowded above ; those below 

 in distant pairs and very small; ail slightly decurrent, forming angles on the 

 stem. Sepals, or bracts, resembling the leaves In color and texture. ( 'orolla pale 

 purple, sometimes nearly white, persistent and shrivelling. Stamens much short* 

 or than the corolla. Style al>out one third the length of the ovary ; lobes of the 

 stigma spreading. Canute obtuse. Sinfs pale straw color, shining. 



Jlab. Rich woodlands, among dead leaves: frequent. Fl. April—May. Fr. June. 



Obs. The only species of the genus ; and although placed by Linnaus in Duh.,- 

 namia, is clearly Tetraudrous. 



I>. Flowers incomplete. 

 80. 8YMPLOCARPU& Safob. A'utt. Gen. 157. 



[Greek, Symploke, connection, and Karpos, fruit ; descriptive of the plant J 



Spathe ventricose-ovoid, acuminate. Spadix oval. Perianth deeply 

 4-parted, persistent ; segments cuneate, truncate, becoming thick and 

 spungy. Style 4-sided, tapering ; stigma simple, minute. Seeds soli- 

 tary, immersed in the spungy receptacle. 



Herbaceous and subaquclic : stemless; leaves enlarging, preceded by sheathing 

 radical stipules; flowers on a spadix, mouoclinous, v\ith a calyx-like perianth^ 

 Nat. Ord. 256. Lin II. Ar.< r i ■•.:•:. 



i. S, fcbtida, JSi*utt. Leaves cordate-oval; spadix on a short scape, 



preceding the teaves. Beck, Bot. p. 382. 



Dracontium foetid urn. Wilhl. Sp. 2. p. 288. 



Pothos fcetida. Mx. Am. 2. p. 186. Ail. K*w. 1. />. 270. Muhl. 



Catal. p. 17. PuraK Am. 2. p. 398. Lindl. Ency. p. 88. 



Jctodes fcetidus. BigeU Bost. p. 59. Eat. Man. p. 186. 



Fstid Sym pilocarpus. Vulgo— Swamp Cabbage. Skunk weed. 



Root perennial, thick, truncate, with verticils of fleshy fibres. Leaves appearing 

 after the spadix has flowered, at first orbicular-cordate, at length cordate-oval 

 becoming very large (often nearly 2 feet long and a foot or more wide), entire) 

 smooth ; stipules expanding, ovate-oblong, acuminate, or often spatulate at apex. 

 Spathe on a short scape, ovoid, cuculiate, acuminate, spotted with purplish brown, 

 ?reen, and yellow, the apex oblique or incurved. Spadix oval, about an inch in 

 diameter, on a short thick peduncle. Flotcers compact, appearing tessellated. 



