232 HEXANDRIA TMGYNIA. 



Vcratrum virginicura. Ait. Kexv. 5. p. 426. LindU Ency.p.860. 

 Virginian Melanthium. 



Root perennial. Stem scape-like, 3 lo <i feet high, erect, terete, minutely pubc •- 

 cent, leafy. Leaves d to 12 or 15 inches long, and half an inch to an inch and half 

 wide, acute, nerved, slightly keeled, smooth, narrowed almost to a petiole towards 

 the base, partially embracing the stem, the lower ones sheathing. Panicle 12 u> 

 15 inches long; branches 2 to 6 inches long, simple, alternate, rather erect, 

 roughish.pubescent, with lanceolate bracts at base \Jluiccrs racemose on the 

 branches; pedicels 1 third to 3 fourths of an inch long, with ovate rather obtuse pu- 

 bescent bracts at base. Perianth pale greenish yellow, finally becoming brown ; 

 segments pubescent externally, rotately spreading, at first somewhat spatulate,or 

 the limb orbicular-ovate, rcpand-denticulatc, with 2 oval glandular spots at base, 

 abruptly contracted to a narrow claw below,— at length the limb becomes ovate- 

 oblong, and auriculatc, or somewhat hastate, at base. Stamens shorter than the 

 poriantb, inserted Into the narrow claws of the segments, and apparently adnata 

 to them at base. Ovary mostly abortive in the lower flowers, in the upper flowers 

 generally perfect ; styles triquetrous-subulate, diverging ; stigmas simple, re- 

 curved. Capsule about half an inch long, and 1 third of an inch in diameter, ob- 

 long-ovoid, triangular (apparently consisting of 3 connate carj>cls) a little 3-clefi 

 at apex,3-horned by the persistent styles, smooth. Seeds compressed, lance-ovab 

 with a winged margin. 



Hub. Wet meadows ; margins of swamps : frequent. Fl. July. /*>. Aug.— Sept. 



Ob*. Three other species arc enumerated in the United States. 



• 



185. VERATRUM. L. JKvtt. Gen. 345. 

 [From the Latin, vere atruin, truly black ; in allusion to the color of the root.] 



Monoicously toltgamous : Perianth calyx-like, deeply 6-parte<l, 

 spreading, persistent; segments lanceolate, without glands, sessile. 

 Stamens inserted on the receptacle. Ovaries 3, connate, superior 

 (often abortive). Capsules 3, connate. Seeds numerous, compressed, 

 enclosed in a membranous coat. 



Herbaceous : leaves alternate, more or less elliptic, and plicate, many nerved ; 

 flowers in a terminal racemose panicle. Nat* Ord. £45. Lindl. Mllamhacljk. 



1. V. viiuni:, Ait. Leaves broad-oval, acuminate, plicate; paniclo 

 pyramidal, with compound racemose branches ; bracts of the branches 

 oblong-lanceolate ; partial bracts longer than the pedicels. JBech, Hot. 

 p. 368. 



V, album. Mx. Am. 2. p. 249. Pers. Syn. 1. p. 397. 



Green Vlratrum. Fw/j-o-Hcllcbore. White Hellebore. Indian Poke. 



Root perennial, thick and fleshy, with numerous fibres. Stem 2 to 4 feet high, 

 loafy, terete, pul>cscent. Leaves 5 to 10 inches long, and 3 to 5 inches wide, near- 

 ly elliptical, with a short acuminatum, almost acute at base, sessile, sheathinq 

 the stem, plicate, smoothish above, pubescent beneath,— the upper leaves, and 

 principal bracts, narrower and lanceolate, tapering to a slender acute point. 

 Panicle 8 to 12 inches long; branches compound, pubescent, with foliaceous 

 tracts at base ; pedicels about 1 fourth of an inch long. Perianth yellowish green ; 

 segments lance-oblong, nerved, with minute rugged serratureson the margin, taper- 

 ing at base, and thickened on the edge. Stamens recurved, shorter than tho perianth . 

 Ovaries 3, oblong, cohering (in many of the flowers abortive) ; styles recurved, 

 persistent. Capsules 3, united, about an inch long, tapering at each ond, supar*- 



