402 DIADELPHIA OCTANDIUA 



about a line in length, each with 3 bracts at base,— the lower bract keeled, shorter 



than the pedicel, the lateral ones membranaceous, and very minute. Sepals very 



nnequal,-the 3 outer ones small, bract-like, 2 on the lower side, and 1 rather larger 



on the upper side,— the 2 inner ones (called uings) much larger, situated on the 



lower side of the (lower, erect, ovate, unguiculate, mostly bright purple, with tin. 



ges of green, sometimes almost entirely green. Petals linear •oblong, or spatulate, 



more or less cohering together, and adnate to the stamens, yellowish-green, tij>t 



with deeper yellow at summit. Capsule compressed, roundish-ovate, emarginaie, 



2-colled ; cells 1-sceded ; the dissepiment transverse. Seeds pyriform, penduloug, 



hairy, dark brown,— with 2 linear cellular arillus-like processes from the puling 



aummityor/ii/um, lying parallel along one side, the length of the seed. 



Hob. Low grounds; borders of woods: frequent, Ft. July-Sept. Fr. Aug-Octo. 

 Obs. This seems to have been confounded with P. sanguineus until Mr. Aiifl. 

 all drew the distinction between them. 



2. P. ambigua, Nutt. Stem with erect virgate branches ; leaves lh> 

 ear, the lower ones verticillatc, the others alternate ; racemes spikeform, 

 on long peduncles; wings of the calyx orbicular-ovate, veined, as long 

 as the capsule. Beck, Hot. p. 45. 



Ambiguous Poltgala. 



Root annual. Stan erect, & to 12 or 15 inches high, smooth, angular, with numer. 

 ous slender erect branches. Leaves 1 fourth of an inch to an inch long, and about 

 1 line wide, acute, narrowed at base, sessile,— the lower ones somewhat verticil, 

 late, the upper ones scattered, remote, and small on the branches. Racemes half 

 an inch to an inch or inch and half Ion?, and 2 or 3 lines in diameter, acute, on 

 Blender naked peduncles 1 to 2 inches long ; pedicels short but distinct, each with 

 3 small caducous bracts at base, the 2 lateral bracts very minute,— the lower flowers 

 falling off, leaving a naked dentate rachis at the base of the racemes. Flotcert 

 green, or greenish white, more or less tinged with purple,— the purple hue not 

 unfrequcntly predominating. Seeds small, pyriform-oblong, hispid, dark brown, 

 the arillus-like processes somewhat spatulate, diverging, scarcely half as long ag 

 the seed. 

 Hub. Sterile soils ; Mica-slate hills, &c. frequent. Fl. July-Sept. Fr. Sept— Odo. 



3. P. vkrticillata, L. Stem with spreading subverticillate branches; 

 leaves lance-linear, mostly verticillate, or opposite ; racemes spikeform, 

 on rather short peduncles ; wings of the calyx orbicular-ovate, shorter 

 than the capsule. Beck, Bot. p. 45. 



Verticillate Poltgala. 



Root annual. Stem erect, 3 to 6 or 8 inches high, smooth, angular, diffusely and 

 brachiately branched, the principal branches subverticillate. Leaves 1 third of 

 an inch to an inch long, and about 1 line wide, acute, narrowed at base, sessile, 

 verticillate or opposite at the base of the branches, with a few alternate ones 

 on the branches. Racemes 1 third to 3 fourths of an inch long, ami 2 or 3 lines iu 

 diameter, acute, on slender peduncles 1 third to 3 fourths of an inch long ; pedicelt 

 very short, each with 3 minute caducous bracts at base,— the lower flowers falling 

 off, leaving a naked dentate rachis at the base of the racemes. Flowers greenish 

 white, rarely tinged with purple, mostly smaller than in the preceding species. 

 Capsule mostly longer than the wings of the calyx. Seeds very similar to those of 

 the preceding. 



Hub* Dry banks; borders of woodlands: frequent. FL July-Sept. Fr. Aug-Octo. 



Obs. This is certainly nearly allied to the preceding j b\A> may be readily dis- 



