3^2 FLORA, 



Family 4. N YCTAGINACEAE Lindl. 

 Four-o'clock Family. 



Herbs (some tropical genera trees or shrubs) with simple entire leaves, 

 and regular flowers in clusters, in the following genera subtended by in- 

 volucres. Petals none. Calyx inferior, usually corolla-like, its limb 

 4-5-lobed or 4-5-toothed. Stamens hypogynous ; filaments filiform; 

 anthers 2-celled, dehiscent by lateral slits. Ovary enclosed by the tube 

 of the perianth, i-celled, i-ovuled ; ovule campy lotropous ; stigma capi- 

 tate. Fruit a ribbed, grooved or winged anthocarp. About 17 genera 

 and 250 species, of wide geographic distribution, most abundant in 

 America. 



Involucre of united bracts ; pairs of leaves equal. x. Allionia. 



Involucre of separate bracts ; pairs of leaves mostly unequal. 2. Abro?iia. 



1. ALLl6NIA-Loefl. [OXYBAPHUS I/Her.] (See Appendix.) 



Forking herbs, with opposite equal leaves, and involucres in loose terminal 

 panicles. Involucre 5-lobed (of 5 partially united bracts), 3-5 -flowered, becoming 

 enlarged and reticulate-veined after flowering. Perianth campanulate, its tube 

 constricted above the ovary, its limb deciduous. Stamens 3-5, generally 3, un- 

 equal, hypogynous. Fruit obovoid or clavate, strongly ribbed, pubescent in our 

 species. [Name in honor of Chas. Allioni, 1 725-1804, a botanist of Turin.) 

 About 20 species, natives of N. and S. Am., one Asiatic. 



Leaves broadly ovate, cordate or oblong-ovate, all petioled. 1. A. nyctagineA, 



Leaves oblong or lanceolate, only the lower petioled. 



Plant glabrous or nearly so except the inflorescence. 2. A. lanceolata. 



Plant densely pubescent all over. 3. A. hirsuta. 



Leaves linear, sessile. 



Plant tall, 5-9 dm. high; branches erect-ascending. 4. A. linearis. 



Plants low, 1-2.5 dm. high, diffusely branched ; branches divergent. 



Involucres axillary, their lobes ovate-oblong, acute. 5. A. Bodini. 



Involucres clustered at the ends of branches, lobes simicircular, obtuse. 



6. A. Bus hi. 



1. Allionia nyctaginea Michx. Heart-leaved Umbrella-wort. (I. F. f. 

 1416.) Stem often 4-sided below, glabrous or slightly pubescent, 3-9 dm. tall. 

 Leaves broadly ovate, 5-10 cm. long, acute at the apex, cordate, rounded or trun- 

 cate at the base, all petioled except the bract-like uppermost ones, glabrous or 

 nearly so; peduncles and pedicles commonly somewhat pubescent; involucre shorter 

 than the flowers; perianth red; stamens 3-5, exserted; style exserted; fruit oblong 

 or narrowly obovoid, very pubescent. In dry soil, Minn, to the N. W. Terr., 

 111., La. and N. Mex. May-Aug. 



2. Allionia lanceolata Rydb. Pale Umbrella-wort. (I. F. f. 1417.) 

 Stem 4-sided below, 3-9 dm. tall, the peduncles and branches commonly glandular 

 and viscous. Leaves lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 3-veined. the upper sessile, 

 the lower short-petioled; involucre much enlarged in fruit, pubescent, ciliate, be- 

 coming whitish and purpied-veined; perianth pink or lilac; fruit with 5 or ob- 

 tuse hispid ribs, roughened in the furrows. Minn, to Mont., Colo., Ala., Mo. and 

 Tex. May-Aug. (A. albida Rydb., in part, not Walt.) 



2a. Allionia floribunda (Choisy) Kuntze. Ovate-leaved Umbrella - 

 WORT. Similar to the preceding, but the leaves ovate or the upper ovate-lanceo 

 late, not cordate. Dry soil, S. L>. to Mo., Wyo. and N. Mex. 



3. Allionia hirsuta Pursh. Hairy Umbrella-wort. (I. F. f. 1418.) Stem 

 3-9 dm. tall, erect. ;uwlnl. al->ndular-pubescent, especially at the nodes, oca 

 sionallj glal .rate toward the base. Leave- lanceolate <>r linear-lanceolate, obtuse, 

 sessile or the lowest sometimes short-petioled, pubescent, 2-8 cm. long; branches 

 and petioles rery pubescenc; inflorescence usually contracted; stamens often 5} 

 fruit narrowly obovoid. the ribs obtuse. In dry soil. Minn, to the N. W. Terr oe 

 Wis.. Colo, and Tex. July Aug. 



4 Allionia linearis Pursh. NARROW-LEAVED UMBRELLA-WORT. (I. F. £ 

 1419.) Stem glabrous, glaucous, 3 13 dm. tall, the branches and peduncles some- 



