214 PLANTS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



woods in May, nearly a foot high, with 3 large broad-rhomboidal 

 leaves ; flowers commonly dark-purple, sometimes white, green- 

 ish on the outside, standing on a footstalk a little declined, and 

 rather nodding. Medicinal. 



T. cernuum. L. Nodding Wake Robin. Has its flower 

 hanging on a recurved foot-stalk, with lanceolate and recurved 

 white flowers, with a stem a foot or more high ; leaves broad, 

 rhomboidal, rather obtuse ; woods ; May. 



T. grandiflorum. Salisb. Large Flowered. Stem near a 

 foot high, with large, white, or reddish flowers, having spatulate 

 and lanceolate petals, and much longer than the calyx ; leaves 

 sessile, broad, rhomboid-ovate ; moist woods ; May ; Pelham. 

 It has not been found in Berkshire County, though it abounds in 

 the State of New York. 



T. pictum. Ph. Painted or Variegated Wake Robin. 

 T. ery thro car pum. Mx. Grows about 8 inches high, and has 

 white flowers, with purple veins, the petals being oval-lanceolate, 

 acute, and recurved ; woods ; May. A beautiful flower. 



ORDER 250. DIOSCOREiE. The Yam Tribe. 



Dioecious ; perianth 6-cleft, equal ; stamens 6, rising from the 

 base of the perianth ; ovary inferior, 3-celled ; style 1, and stigma 

 3-parted ; leaves with reticulated veins ; flowers small, in spikes. 



Dioscorea. L. 20. 6. 



Named in honor of Dioscorides, a Greek physician, supposed 

 to have lived in the time of Nero ; a very important group of 

 plants in this genus, found chiefly in tropical regions. Capsule 

 3-celled, triangular, compressed ; seed membranaceous on the 

 margin. 



D. villosa. L. A twining vine, delicate, turning from right 

 to left, with alternate or opposite whorled and cordate leaves, 

 pubescent beneath, 9-nerved ; rises sometimes 12 feet ; lower 



