ORDER CXXXI. MKLANTHACE.E. 539 



mit. Stamens C, dilated at the base, hypogynous. Capsule 

 angled, 3-celled. 



1. O. cro'ceum, (Ell.) Stem none. Leaves linear, nerved, flat, 12 — 18 

 inches long. Scape terete, glabrous. Flowers in a terminal raceme, on 

 peduncles twice as long as the flower. Bracts ovate, short ; leaves of 

 the perianth oval, obtuse. Filaments subulate. — White. 2{. June — 

 July. Middle Geo. 12 — 18 inches. 



Order CXXXI.— MELANTHA'CE^E. 



Perianth 6-parted, petaloid, inferior. Stamens 6. Anthers 

 usually turned outward. Ovary 3-celled, many-seeded. Style 

 3-parted. Stigmas 3. Capsule divisible into 3 pieces. Her- 

 baceous plants, with leaves sheathing at the base. 



ANALYSIS, 



1. Stamens 9 Pleea, 2 



Stamens 6 2 



2. Styles 1 8 



Styles 3 4 



3. Fruit baccate Streptoptis, T 



Fruit capsular Uvularia, 6 



4. Perianth with an involucre Tofieldia, 1 



Perianth without an involucre 5 



5. Flowers white 6 



Flowers greenish-white T 



6. Leaves of the perianth with glands Zygadenus, 4 



Leaves of the perianth without glands Helonias, 3 



7. Leaves narrow 3felantMum, 5 



Leaves broad Veratrum, 8 



Genus L— TOFIEL'DIA. Hudson, 6—3. 

 (In honor of Mr. Tofield.) 



Perianth G-parted, with a 3-parted involucre at the base. 

 Stamens 6. Style I. Capsule 3 — 6-celled, united at the base. 



1. T. pu'bens, (Smith.) Stem scabrous, simple, naked toward the 

 summit. Leaves ensiform, narrow, glabrous, the upper one very small. 

 Flowers in racemes. Segments of the perianth lanceolate, alternately 

 larger ; the involucre very small, 3-toothed. Stamens attached to the 

 base of the perianth. Capsule 3-angled, 3-valved, 3-eelled, with 2 seeds 

 in a cell. — Green and purple. 2£. July — Sept. In wet soils. Com- 

 mon. 1 — 2 feet. 



2. T. glaber'rima, (Nutt.) Stem terete, leafy near the base. Leaves 

 linear, ensiform, sheathing. Floivers in racemes, nearly verticillate. 

 Involucre small, 3-toothed. Segments of the perianth oblong-oval. — 

 White. U. Oct. Middle Car. and Geo. 2—3 feet. 



Genus II.— PLE'EA. Mich. 9—3. 

 (From pleias, the seven stars, from the disposition of its flowers.) 



Perianth 6-parted, expanding. Stamens 9. Styles 3. Cap- 

 sule 3-angled, 3-valved, 3-celled. Seeds numerous, attached to 

 the margin of the valves. 



