476 



ORDER XCIII. ACANTHACEjE. 



Order XCIIL— ACANTHA'CEtE. (Acanthus Family.) 



Calyx 4 — 5-cleft, persistent, with the segments equal or un 

 equal. Corolla hypogynous, with a regular or irregular bor 

 der. Stamens inserted into the tube of the corolla, 2 or 4 , 

 when 4 didynamous, the short ones sometimes sterile. Ovary 

 2-celled, surrounded at the base by a disk. Style 1. Capsule 

 2-celled, few or many-seeded ; dissepiments opposite the valves. 

 Seeds suspended, nearly globular. Cotyledons large. Herba- 

 ceous plants, with opposite, simple leaves. 



Genus I.— JUSTI'CIA. L. 2—1. {Rhytiglossa, Nees.) 

 (In honor of J. Justice, a Scotch botanist.) 



Calyx 5-parted, often with 2 bracts at the base. Corolla 

 bilabiate, the upper lip emarginate, the lower 3-cleft. Stamem 

 2. Stigma 1. Capsule 2-celled, 2-valved. 



1. J. hu'milis, (Mich.) Stem assurgent, glabrous toward the base, 

 rough near the summit, jointed. Leaves decussate, lanceolate, serru- 

 late, scabrous. Flowers in long axillary spikes. Bracts minute. Calyx. 

 persistent, ventricose. Corolla with the upper lip reflexed ; middle 

 segment of the lower lip longest, spotted. — Violet. If. May — June. 

 In wet soils. 12 — 18 inches. 



2. J. ensifok'mis, (Walt.) Stem assurgent. Leaves decussate, linear- 

 lanceolate, glabrous, acute, slightly oblique. Flowers in short, compact 

 spikes, on long peduncles. — Violet. If. May — June. Southern Geo. 



3. J. brachia'ta, (Pursh.) Stem 6-angled, brachiately branched, gla- 

 brous. Leaves ovate-oblong, obtuse at the apex, attenuate at the base, 

 glabrous beneath, hairy on the veins. Peduncles axillary, by twos or 

 threes; heads 2 — 3-fiowered, with the leaves of the involucre unequal, 

 miKronate, euneate, 3-nerved. Flowers small. Capsule oval, mucro- 

 nate, partly pubescent. — August. Dicliptera brachiata. 



Genus II.— RUEL'LIA. L. 13—2. 

 (In honor of J. Ruelli, a French botanist.) 



Calyx 5-parted, often with 2 bracts. Corolla campanulate, 

 with a 5-lobed border. Stamens 4 or 5, approximate. Cap- 

 sule attenuate, dehiscing at the summit. 



1. R. stuk'pens. (L.) Stem erect, 4-angled, hairy. Leaves opposite, 

 petiolate. Lanceolate -ovate, entire. Flowers axillary, 1 — 3 in each axil. 

 Calyx with acute hispid segments, with 2 bracteal leaves as long as the 

 calyx. Corolla with the segments rounded; tube longer than the ca- 

 lyx. Seed generally 4. — Blue. 2f. May — Sept. Damp soils. 1 — 2 ft. 



Diptcracanthus pallidas, 



2. R. iiiusu'ta. Stem erect, obtusely angled, sparingly branched, hir- 

 sute. Leaves opposite, ovate-lanceolate, sessile, acute, rough. Calyx 

 witli hispid subulate segments, lunger than the tube of the corolla. 

 Style long. — Blue. U. July — Oct. Georgia and Alabama. 



Hydrophila hirsuta. 



