540 ORDEK CXXXI. MELANTHACE.E. 



1. P. tenuifo'lia, (Mich.) Stein erect, leafy. Leaves ensiform, nar 

 row, glabrous. Flowers in a terminal spike. Spathe 1-flowered ; seg- 

 ments of the perianth lanceolate, acute. — Yellowish-red. 2£. May — 

 June. Wet soils. Carolina. 1 — 2 feet. 



Genus III.— HELO'NIAS. L. 6—3. 



(From helos, a marsh.) 



Perianth 6-leaved. Leaves flat, sessile, without glands. 

 Stamens 6. Styles 3, distinct. Capsule 3-celled, few-seeded, 

 3-horned. 



1. H. erythrosper'ma, (Mich.) Stem erect, leafy, glabrous. Leaves 

 linear, long, nerved. Flowers in oblong racemes, with short bracts. 

 Leaves of the perianth ovate, sessile, persistent. Capsule shortened, 

 with divaricate horns. Seed red. — White. 11. April — May. Rich 

 soils. 2 ft. Fly Poison. Amiantanthus miiscaztoxicum, Gray. 



2. H. angustifo'lia, (Mich.) Stem erect, terete, glabrous, leafy. 

 Leaves linear, long, subulate, upper ones very minute. Flowers in ter- 

 minal racemes. Capsule oblong, with the summit appressed. Seed 

 linear. — White. 2£. June — July. Damp soils. 1 — 2 feet. 



Amiantanthus angustifolius, Gray. 



3. H. dioi'ca, (Pursh.) Stem erect, slightly angled, glabrous, leafy. 

 Radical leaves spatulate, long; cauline ones narrower, becoming almost 

 linear toward the sumit. Flowers in simple racemes, dioecious. Leaves 

 of the perianth linear, obtuse, green, 3-furrowed. Stigmas 3, sessile. 

 Capsule 3-celled, many-seeded. — White. If. May — June. Damp soils. 

 Very common. 2 — 3 feet. 



Unicorn Plant, ox Blazing Star. Chamodirium Carolinianus, Willd 



4. H. asphodeloi'des, (L.) Stem leafy, scapiform. Leaves nurner 

 ous, elongated, linear, rigid, flat, striate ; cauline ones shorter and nar- 

 rower. Flowers in elongated racemes ; pedicels long, filiform ; filaments 

 subulate, dilated at the base. Capsule sub-globose, 3-celled, 3-valved. — 

 White. If. Sandy woods, from New Jersey to Geo. 



Xerophyllum asphodeloides, Gray. 



5. H. gramin'ea, (Ell.) Stem leafy, branches recurved. Leaves linear, 

 flat, glaucous underneath. Flowers in a compound raceme, pyramidal ; 

 leaves of the perianth broad-oval. — White. New Jersey to Carolina. 

 18 — 24 inches. Amiantanthus leimanthoidess Gray. 



6. H. du'bia, (Pursh.) Scape simple, glabrous. Leaves keeled, long, 

 narrow, grass-like. Flowers small, in a spike, 3 — 4 inches long. — Pale 

 green. Geo. and Flor. Sandy places. 2 — 3 feet. 



Schcenocaulon gracile, Gray. 



Genus IV.— ZYGADE'NUS. Rich, 6—3. 

 (From zugos, a yoke, and aden, a gland ; the glands on the petals.) 



Perianth 6-leaved, expanding, with 2 glands at the base of 

 each. Stamens 6, inserted into the petals. Styles 3, shorter 

 than the stamens. Capsule membranaceous, 3-celled, many- 

 seeded. 



1. Z. glaber'rimus, (Mich.) Stem erect, leafy, terete. Leaves sessile, 

 linear-lanceolate, glabrous, channeled, long and wide. Flowers in a 



