420 Florula Lcxingl-micnsis, 



the Spircwood : iis fruit however is larger and of a blue colour- 

 Popular opinion has long since attri!)uled much virtue to tho 

 liark of the Sassafras root; and medical couotenance is fre- 

 quently given to the idea of its he'in^ a purifcr of the blcod. 



By some hotanists these two species of Laurus are thrown into 

 a sub-genus called Euosmus^ from their pleasant aroma. 



40. Ge.vus PHALANGIUM. Towneforf, Wild Hyacinth. 



(Deriv. A Greek name of a plant, mentioned by Dioscovides, de- 

 rived perlmps from iihalagx, a plialanx or legion, in allusion to tha 

 number and disposition of its flowers.) 



Class Gth. HEXAJVDRIA— Order, MOKGGYKM. 



Gen, Ch, Co ro//a of six petals, spreading. /'//«men^5 naked or 



smooth. Capsule ovate. Seeds angular. 

 Species \st, Phalaxgium Esculentum. JSuttalL 



Sp, Ch» Root bulbous, leaves all radical, Mnear, carinate ; stigma 



minutely 3-cleft. 



Obs, This is decidedly one of the most beautiful of our in- 

 digenous plants; throwing up from the centre of a tuft of smooth 

 grass-like leaves, a long solitary stem 1 to 2 feet high, sheathed 

 below by a few convoluted bractes, and clothed at tlie summit 

 by a number of large purple or pale-blue flowers, 10 or 12 of 

 which arc in perfection at a time; these slowly shrivelling, (mar- 

 cescent,) others are evolved, so as to keep up a succession of 

 bloom for several da3-s. The root, which is bulbous and situated 

 deep in the ground, is eatable and nutritious — Frequent in moist 

 meadows in certain localities, but generally disappearing upon 

 culture — Flowers from the 20th of April. 



Si/n, Scilla Esculenta. Bat, Mag, 

 Phalangium Quamash. Pursh, 



41. Genus. ASARUM. L. 

 (Deriv. The Latin name of a plant, spoken of by Pliny.) 

 Class nth, DODECA.YDRIA— Order, MOAVGYMA. 



Gen. Ch, Calyx 3 — 4 cleft, superior, persistent. Corolla none. 



Anthers adhering to the sides of the filaments. Capsule 6-ceI- 



led. 

 Species \st. As arum Canadense. Wild Ginger. 



Sp, Ch. Leaves 2, broad-rcniform: crf!yr vroolly- deepiy 3-part- 



ed, rtHexedk 



