DECANDHIA MONOGYNIA 265 



211. PYROLA. L. Mitt. Gen. 389. 

 [Latin, diminutive of Pyrus % a pear ; from a resemblance in the leaves.] 



Calyx 5-partcd, or 5-cleft Petals 5, deciduous. Style persistent, 

 cxserted, or very short ; stigma annulate, or peltate. Capsule 5-cell- 

 cd, 5-valved. Seeds numerous, arillate, or samara-like. 



Loic suffruticose evergreens : leaves alternate, or subopposite, aggregated at the 

 root, or near the summit of the stem, sempervirent ; flowers racemose on scapes, 

 or subumbellate on terminal peduncles. Nat. Ord. 173. Lindl. Pyrolace-s. 

 f Style cxserted. * Stigma annulate. 



1. P. rotundifolia, L. Leaves orbicular, obsoletely crenate-serrate, 

 coriaceous and shining, scarcely as long as the dilated petiole ; scape 

 with 2 or 3 ovate-lanceolate bracts; calyx 5-parted, segments ovate- 

 oblong ; style declinate. Becky Bot. p. 226, 

 Round- leaved Pirola. 



Root creeping. Leaves radical, orbicular, or roundish-ovate, an inch and half 

 to 2 inches in diameter, with conspicuous branching reticulated nerves termina- 

 ting at ihc obscure cartilaginous serratures on the margin ; petiole margined, about 

 as long as the leaf, and sometimes much longer. Scape 5 to 10 inches high, 

 with amplezicaul bracts at base, and 2 or 3 remote ovate-lanceolate ones above. 

 Raceme terminal, smooth, 2 to 3 inches long ; pedicels about 1 third of an inch long, 

 each with a lanceolate bract at base as long as the pedicel. Flotcers nodding, fra- 

 grant. Calyx- segments about 1 third the length of the petals. Petals white, often 

 with a reddish tinge, obovate. Stamens shorter than the petals, ascending ; fila- 

 ments smooth, flat; anthers large, oblong, with 2 pores at base, erect before the 

 flower expands, reflexed afterwards, when, consequently, the pores appear to be 

 at the summit. Style longer than petals, declined and curved ; stig?na 5-lobed, 

 with a ring just below the lobes. Capsule depressed-globose, obtusely 5-angled; 

 valves opening at base, connected by tomentose filaments. Seeds minute, coated 

 with a membranaceous diaphanous integument, tapering at each end. 



Hab. Woodlands : frequent. Fl. June. Ft. August— September. 



2. P. elltptica, Nutt. Leaves oblong-oval, or elliptic-ovate, pli- 

 cately serrulate, somewhat membranaceous, longer than the dilated pe- 

 tiole ; scape naked, or with a single subulate-lanceolate bract ; calyx 5- 

 cleft ; segments ovate, acuminate ; style declinate. Becky Bot. p. 226. 

 Elliptic Pyrola. Vulgo — Shin leaf. 



Root creeping. Leaves radical, 1 and a half to near 3 inches long, and 1 to near 

 2 inches wide, somewhat crenate serrate, thinner and less coriaceous than tho 

 preceding, decurrcnt on the petiole, which is shorter than the leaf. Scape 4 to G 

 inches high, acutely angular, naked, or with a single slender bract. Raceme 1 to 

 2 inches long , pedicels 2 to 3 lines long, shorter than the subulate-lanceolate bracts 

 at base. Calyx- segments scarcely 1 fourth the length of the petals. Petals white, 

 with a greenish tinge, obovate, rounded at apex. Stamens shorter than tho petals, 

 ascending. Style, &c. as in the preceding. 



Hab. Woodlands : common. Fl. June. FY. August— September. 

 Obs. Nearly allied to the preceding ; and was long confounded with \U 



* * Stigma peltate. 



3. P. bscusda, L. Leaves ovate, acute, serrate, somewhat membran- 

 aceous, longer than the narrow petiole ; raceme secund ; style straight. 

 Beck, Bot. p. 227. 



OUB-SIDED PrBOLA. 



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