548 FLORA OF TEXAS. 



broadly 2-winged ; leaves of the spatlie equal and shorter 

 than the flowers, or the lower one much longer than the 

 flowers; perianth blue, yellow in the center; the divisions 

 notched and bristle-awned at the apex. (S. mucronatum, 

 Michx.) Prairies. July and August. Stem 6-18' high ; 

 leaves mostly shorter than the stem; flowers 4-6 in a 

 spathe, ^' wide, opening in the evening. 



NEMASTYLIS, Nutt. 



Perianth 6-parted, the divisions nearly equal and spread- 

 ing ; stamens 3, distinct, with the subulate filaments much 

 shorter than the elongated linear anthers; sti/le sliort, 

 S-lobed, with the lobes 2-parted, each division produced 

 into filiform radiating stigmas; cap side oh\ong, truncated. 

 — Herbs, with coated bulbous roots, linear plicate leaves, 

 and very fugacious floivers from a 2-leaved spathe. 



N. CCELESTINA, Nutt. Biilb Small, roundish ; radical 

 leaves few, elongated, sheathing, those of the stem dimin- 

 ishing upward, the uppermost bract-like; /c?(;ers mostly 

 solitary, terminal ; divisions of the perianth oblong-obo- 

 vate; capsule obtusely 3-angled ; seeds angular, brown. 

 (Ixia coelestina, Bartram.) Pine-barrens. May and June. 

 Stem l|-°-2° higli ; flowers bright blue. 



N. GEMMiFLORA. Floioevs on pedicels shorter than the 

 spalhe, the sepals 1' long, obovate-spatulate, bluish purple, 

 the azure petals about half as large. A handsome flower, 

 15-20' high ; leaves of the same length, 3" to b" wide, ta- 

 pering at each end. Woods below Houston. 



N. ACUTA. Head-waters of the Trinity. — Marcy, 



140. YAM FAMILY. Order, Dioscoreace^. 



Twining herbs, with tuberous roots, ribbed and reticu- 

 lated leaves, and small regular dioecious /o?t?er.s in axillary 

 spikes or panicles ; perianth 6-parted, the tube (in the fer- 



