SMILACEiE. 211 



S. sarsaparilla. L. The well known medicinal plant of this 

 name, indigenous to North America ; demulcent and diuretic, and 

 used as medicine in many cases. 



Gyromia. Nutt. 6. 3. 



The 6 divisions of the perianth re volute ; stigmas 3, united at 

 their base ; berry 3-celled. 



G. Virginica. Nutt. Indian Cucumber. Not the most dis- 

 tant resemblance to Cucumber, unless in the slight odor of the 

 plant ; a single species, grows a foot high^ with 2 whorls of leaves, 

 one close to the flower, and the other at some distance below ; 

 open, dry woods ; very regular in its form ; May. The root is 

 said to be diuretic. Barton. This is Medeola Virginica, L., 

 Cucumber Root. 



Uvularia. L. 6. 1. Bell Wort. 



From the Greek diminutive for a bunch of grapes, from the 

 cluster of flowers on some species ; chiefly a North American 

 genus. Segments of corolla or perianth with a nectariferous 

 cavity at the base ; filaments very short. 



Two rather beautiful species grow in this State. On one, 

 U. sessilifolia, L., the leaves are sessile, and on the other, U. per- 

 foliata, Mx., the stem appears to run through the leaf; woods ; 

 May and June. 



Streptopus. Mx. 6. 1. 



Taken from the preceding genus, and named from the Greek, 

 for turn and foot, from the twisted foot-stalk of the flowers ; all 

 the species American but one. Anthers longer than the filaments ; 

 berry subglobose ; petiole twisted. 



Two species occur in this Commonwealth ; one, S. distortus, 

 Mx., much resembles the species of the preceding genus ; the 

 other, /S. roseus, Mx., Rose Bell Wort, has a stem often 20 

 inches high, branching into 2 parts, and of a fine form, leafy and 

 holding many small, rose-colored flowers ; woods and hills ; 

 May. 



