ORDER XX. ILLECEBRACE^E. 243 



Petals resembling sterile filaments, very minute or wanting. 

 Stamens 5, inserted into the edge of the disk that lines the base 

 of the sepals. Stigmas 2. Styles more or less united. Pyx- 

 idium inclosed in the sepals. 



1. P. pichot'oma, (Nutt.) Stem branching from a thick woody base, 

 glabrous. Leaves opposite, subulate, mucronate, dotted, with 4 stipules 

 at each joint. Flowers iu dichotomous cymes, diffuse. Sepals yellow- 

 ish, linear, 3-ribbed, lined with a whitish disk. Style filiform, cleft about 

 one-fourth its length. — 2{. July — Nov. North and South Carolina. 

 Texas. 6 — 12 inches. 



2. P. argyroco'ma, (Nutt.) Root fusiform. Stem terete, jointed, 

 branching, dichotomous, glabrous toward the summit. Leaves linear, 

 acute, slightly hairy, with 2 stipules, sometimes 4, longer than the joints. 

 Flowers in glomerate cymes. Sepals linear, hairy, setaceously cuspidate, 

 the inner portion bearded above. — If. Aug. Mountains. 4 — 10 inch. 



3. P. herniarioi'des, (Nutt.) Stem diffusely branched, prostrate. 

 Leaves sessile, oblong-oval, ciliate, mucronate. Flowers sessile in the 

 axils of the leaves. Sepals subulate, mucronate, expanding. Stipules 

 longer than the leaves. — 2f . Upper districts of S. Car. and Geo. 



Genus II.— ANY'CHIA. Mich. 5—1. 

 (Name of similar origin with the preceding, application not apparent) 



Sepals ovate-oblong, united at the base, slightly concave, 

 sub-saccate at the apex, sub-mucronate on the back. Corolla 

 none. Stamens 2 — 5, inserted on the base of the sepals. Pis- 

 tils very short, 2. Styles distinct or united. Annual plants, di- 

 chotomously divided. 



1. A. Canadensis, (Ell.) Stem erect or decumbent at the base, much 

 branched at the summit, dichotomous, pubescent. Leaves opposite, 

 nearly glabrous, sessile, dotted. Stipules generally four at each joint, 

 membranous. Flowers solitary, and terminal on each branch. Sepals 

 somewhat hooded at the point. Stamens commonly 3, shorter than the 

 calyx. Stigmas 2. — 0. July — Aug. Upper districts of Car. and Geo. 

 4 — 10 inches. 



2. A. Baldwin'ii, (T. &G.) Stem decumbent, diffuse, branching from 

 the base. Leaves lanceolate, acute. Stamens 5. Styles distinct nearly 

 to the base. — 0. Middle Florida. 



Genus III.— SIPHONY'CHIA. T. & G. 5—1. 



Sepals 5, cohering below into a tube, petaloid above, concave 

 at the summit. Petals none, or subulate, filaments like the pet- 

 als inserted into the tube of the calyx. Stamens 5. Style fili- 

 form, about the length of the calyx. 



1. S. America'na, (Nutt.) Stem branching, diffuse, procumbent, mi- 

 nutely and retrorsely puberulent. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, ciliate, 

 6lightly hairy beneath, shorter near the summit. Flowers in glomerate 

 cymes, at the extremities of the branches numerous. Sepals white 

 above, minutely hispid, with hooked bristles at the base. — jgj. July — 

 August Middle Georgia. 



