284 HBXANDRIA TRIGYNIA 



*. H. irtthrosperma, Mx. Scape leafy ; leaves linear, slightlv 



channelled above, very long ; raceme oblong ; bracts short ; capsulo 



shortened, 3-lobed ; lobes with divaricate horns ; seeds ovoid, with a 



purple fleshy coat. Beck, Bot. p. 367. 



H. lata. Ait. Kev>. 2. p. 330. Lindl. Ency.p. 292. 



H. angustifolia. FloruL Cestr. p. 44. Not of Michaux, and others. 



Melanthium latum, WiUd. Sp. 2./>. 2G7. MuhL Catal. p. 37. 



Ked-sbedki) Helonias. 



Root perennial [bulbous, Ell. 7brr.]. Scape IS inches to 2 feet high, obtusely 

 angular, smooth. Radical leaves 12 to 15 or 18 inches long, and 1 third to 3founh*i 

 •fan inch wide, nearly linear, acute, or sometimes obtuse, smooth ; those on the 

 ■cape shorter, acute, and more grass-like. Raceme 2 or 3 to 6 and sometimes 9 

 inches long; pedicels half an inch to an inch long, each with a lance-ovatc acute 

 bract at base (bracts obtuse, Torr.). Perianth greenish white ; segments oblong, 

 •btuse, sessile. Stamens rather longer than the perianth ; anthers white. Ovary 

 Uobed; lobes abruptly acuminate. Capsule reddish brown, 3-lobed (or rather 

 3 connate capsules), turgid; lobes abruptly acuminate, or horned by the persistent 

 styles; horns diverging, or divaricate. Seeds few, rather large, ovoid, enclose! 

 in a pulpy coat, which is purple at maturity. 



Hob. Swamps, in the Mica-slate ; J. D. Steele's: rare. I V. June. Fr. Aug. 



Ob*. This plant is said to bo a narcotic poison ; and Mr. Elliott informs us Uiat 

 the root is used, at the South, for destroying flies. The H. angustifolia, of tny 

 Catalogue, proves to be nothing more than a starved specimen of this. There art 

 fear additional species enumerated in the U. States. 



187. GYROMIA. Watt. Gen. 351. 

 [Greek, Gyros, a circle ; in reference to its vcrticillato leaves.] 



Perianth corolla-like, deeply 6-partcd, revolute. Ovary superior ; 

 ttigmas sessile, long, linear, recurved, united at base. Berry 3-celled ; 

 •ells 3 to 6 seeded. Seed* compressed, 3-sided. 



Herbaceous: root tuberous; stem simple; leaves entire, vcrticiilate ; flowers 

 terminal, aggregated. Nat. Ord. 219. Lindl. Smii.acbje. 



1. G. VTRGINICA, JSTutt. Leaves lance-oval, acuminate, sessile, in a 

 verticil of 5 to 9 near the middle of the stem, at summit mostly in 

 threes ; peduncles aggregated, at the terminal verticil. Torr. Fl. I. p. 374. 

 Medeola virginica. mild. Sp. 2. p. 270. Mx. Am. I. p. 214. Pert 

 Syn. 1.1.398. AiU Kexv. 2. p. 327. MuhL Catal. p. 37. Pursh, 

 Am. I. p. 244. Ell. Sh. l./>. 425. Bigel. Bast. />. 141. Lindl. Ency 

 p. 290. Beck, Bot. p. 360. 



Virginian Giromia. Vulgo— Indian Cucumber. Cucumber root 



Plant pale green. Root perennial, a white oblong horizontal tuber, 1 to 2 inches 

 long. Stem 1 to 2 feet high, slender, smooth, clothed with a whitish or light brown 

 deciduous flocculent wool, and with 1 or 2 scarious sheathing stipules at and near 

 ihe base. Leaves in 2 whorls ; the lower one above the middle of the stem, with 

 occasionally a straggling leaf an inch or two below the whorl, the leaves 3 or 4 

 inches long, and about an inch wide, acute at each end ; the upper whorl terminal, 

 mostly of 3 (sometimes of 4 or 5) leaves, the leaves 1 to 2 inches long, broad oval! 

 acuminate, often stained at base with dark purple when the plant is in fruit. 

 Pikmdu 3 to 6 (sometimes 8 or 10), half an inch to an inch long, arising from ik* 



