IIKXAXDRIA MOXOGYXIA 223 



glabrous, the margins rcflexed whilst young,— the base mostly rounded, sometime* 

 slightly oordate. Flowers mostly solitary, subterminal, or near the fork of the 

 stem, pendulous. Perianth pale yellow; segment* about an inch long, rou^h 

 with granular tubercles on the inside. Capsule truncate at apex, triangular-turbi- 

 nate, angles sulcate, sides concave. 



Ilab. Moist woodlands, and meadows: frequent. FZ. May. /V.August. 



Obs. I have rarely, if ever, found the leaves obtuse. This plant is one of the 

 popular, but probably good-for-nothing, remedies, among the frontier settlers, fur 

 the bito of the rattle-snake. 



2. U. sessilifolia, L. Leaves sessile, lancc-oval, acute at each end, 

 glaucous beneath ; segments of the perianth smooth within ; capsule 

 acute at each end, stipitate. Beck, Mot. p. 362. Icon, Bart. Am. 2. 

 tab. 55. f. 1. 



Sessile-leaved Uvulahia. 



Ro.it perennial. Stem i) to 12 inches high, slender, bifid at summit, mostly with 

 a single flower on one of the branches. Leaves 1 to 2 inches loner., and half ail 

 inch to near an inch wide, alternate,— the 2 lower leaves on the flower-bearing 

 branch nearly opposite, with \hepeduncU opposite the lower one, and immediate- 

 ly beneath the other. Perianth pale yellow, or ochroleucous ; segments 3 fourths 

 of an inch long, smooth on the inside. Capsule triangular-obovoid, with prominent 

 sharp angles, mucronate, tapering at base to a kind of stipe ; peduncle about half 

 an inch long. 



Ilab, Rich woodlands : frequent. Fl. May. Fr. August. 



Obs. Two or three additional species are enumerated in the U. States. 



177. ERYTHRONIUM. L. Nutt. Gen. 326. 

 [Greek, Erythrosy red ; perhaps from the purple spots, or stains, on the leaves.] 



Perianth campanulate, deeply 6-parted ; segments recurved ; the three 

 inner ones mostly with a tooth-like process on each side near the base, 

 and a longitudinal groove in the middle. Stamens as long as the styles. 

 Ovary superior. Capsule roundish, narrowed at base, or substipitate, 

 3-celled, 3-valved. Seeds numerous, ovoid, acuminate. 



Herbaceous : leaves a single pair, subradical, sheathing the scape at base ; scape 

 1-flowered. Nat* Ord. 251. Lindl. Liliace-E. 



1. E. ameiiicaxum, 8m* Leaves elliptic-lanceolate, involute at the 

 apex, minutely punctate, spotted ; segments of the perianth oblong-lan- 

 ceolate, rather obtuse ; style clavate, trigonous. Beck, Bot. p. 365 . 

 Icon, Bart. Am. 1. tab* 33. 



E. Dens canis. mild. Sp. 2. p. 96. Mx. Am. I. p. 198. Pers. St/n. 

 1. p. 360. 

 E. lanccolatum. Pursh.Am. I. p. 230. 



American Erythiionium. Vulgo — Dog's tooth Violet. 



Root perennial, an ovoid scaly tuber, or solid bulb, rather deep in the ground. 

 Leaves 3 to 6 inches long, and half an inch to an inch and half wide, smooth, shi- 

 ning, stained with purple spots, minutely and superficially punctate, the apex 

 abruptly acuminate, involute, and thickened. Scape 6 to 9 or 12 inches long, with 

 N a terminal nodding flower. Perianth yellow, spotted near the base, and purplish 

 externally ; segments an inch to an inch and halflong, the 3 outer ones recurved 



