234 ACANTHACE.E. 



spotted with yellow or purple. Stamnu bright yellow, eiserted. Woody endecttrv 

 wytad on one side, with 2 long claws. 



Order CO. AO.iWTHAOEffi:— Acantiu* lamily. 



fhiefly lierbs, with opposite simple Jeans, didynamous or diar.drous stamens, m 

 MlfeJ cnthetu'je of the more or less '2-lippcd corolla. Frcit an 8-celledar.d ftw- 

 MMded eapsule. Calyx 5-cleft. Corolla 5-lobcd, subequal. Stylb thread-form 

 Stigma simple or 2 cleft. Capsils loculicidal; SZED3 anatropous, supported ty 

 nooked projection* of the placentae 



I:- DIANTHERA. Gronov, 



Gr. dis. double, and anlfura, anther; the separated cellsgiYing xh» appearance of 

 2 aethers on easdi filament/ 



Calyx -5-parted. Corolla deeply 2 -lipped; th& upper 

 tip erect, notched ■« the loiter spreading, 3-parted. Stamens 

 2 ; anthers 2-celledj- the ceJls pkced one lower down than 

 the other. Capsule obovate, compressed, attenuated at 

 the base, 4 to 5-seeded.— Perennial* herbs, growing in u-aUr, . 

 with narrow and entire leaves, and purplish flowers in axii* 

 lary pedunclcd spikes or heads." 



1. D. Americana, L. W&er IViHoic- 



Zeut'MJinear lanceolate, elongated; spirts oblong, dense, long-pednnclcd. (JuS- 

 tida pcdanculosa, L.) 



Borden of streams and ponds: common. July,. Aug. Hoot creeping. Ftvn 5 

 fe*t hi^h. simple or sparingly branched above. Lmwet nearly inches long, 

 6in:o*.h, wavy, contracted to a short petiole. Flowers pale-purple. 



2. PIPTEBICAXTHUS, Noes. (Ruellia, partly, L.) 



Gt..d>pUros, 2-*.r:!igvd, and alanthos, th^ Acanthus; on account of the 2-leaTed pe- 

 duncle-. 



Calyx deeply 5-cIeffc: ; Corolla funnel-form ; the spread- 

 ing limb nearly regularly and equally 5-cleft. Stamens 

 4, included, didynamous ; anthers arrow*shaped ; cells 

 parallel, and nearly eo A uaJ Capsule somewhafc-com pressed, 

 and stalked at the base, 8 to t&seeded, Seeds whh a mu- 

 eilaginous coating. — Perennnia/ hSrbe, with ovate or elh'ptieai 

 nearly etiti-ez leaves', leaf y bracts, and clustefedblue or purple flowers; 



1. D. STREPENS, Xees. T ucb-ic in <jcd Acanthus. 



Somewhat smooth; leaves orate or ovate-oblong, entire; peduncles axillary, very 

 ■tort; calyx iTtcsl&nceonkte, acute, ciliate, spreading, ihorter-than the tube of the 

 ■oralUk (liitcUiastrrpens, !■.). 



Shadr woods. July. St:m 1 to 2 feet high, often simple, clothed with wh!U 

 bristly hairs. Leaves 1U to 2l£ inches long U to U as wide. Corolla 2 inche* long, 

 txjgb.t bluciab-purple, 1 to V/, inch, brood, with a long and slender tube, 



