650 FLORA. 



nate, the lowest sometimes opposite, oblong or linear-oblong, 8-20 mm. long; flow- 

 ers not dimorphous, pink-purple, about I mm. broad; stamens included; calyx 

 5-6 mm. lung in fruit. Borders of salt marshes, Me. to N. J. Also in Cal. and 

 S. Am. Nat. from Europe. June-Sept. 



2. Lythrum alatum Pursh. Wing-angled Loosestrife. (I. F. f. 2546.) 

 Perennial, glabrous, dark green, 3-12 dm. high, the stem angled and often slightly 

 winged. Leaves sessile, alternate or the lowest opposite, lanceolate or oblong, 

 rounded or cordate at the base, 1-3 cm. long; flowers short-pedicelled, deep purple, 

 6-10 mm. broad, dimorphous; ovary nearly sessile; calyx 5-6 mm. long in fruit. 

 In low grounds, southern Ont. to Mass., Ky., S. Dak. and Kans. June-Aug. 



3. Lythrum lineare L. Linear-leaved Loosestrife. (I. F. f. 2547.) 

 Perennial, glabrous, rather pale green, 6-12 dm. high. Leaves sessile, 1-2.5 cm. 

 long, 2-4 mm. wide, nearly all opposite; flowers light purple or nearly white, di- 

 morphous, about 3 mm. broad; stamens of the short-styled flowers exserted ; ovary 

 short-stalked; fruiting calyx 3-4 mm. long. Borders of salt marshes, N. J. to Fla. 

 and Tex. July-Sept. 



4. Lythrum Vulneraria Ait. Kennedy's Loosestrife. (I. F. f. 2548.) 

 Spreading or ascending, perennial, glabrous, 3-12 dm. long. Leaves short-pe- 

 tioled, or sessile, 8-18 mm. long, 4-8 mm. wide, rounded or cordate at the base, 

 mostly obtuse ; flowers usually short-peduncled, purple, about 8 mm. broad; sta- 

 mens of the short-styled flowers exserted; fruiting calyx 8-10 mm. long. St. Louis, 

 Mo. (according to Koehne); Fla. to Mex. May -Aug. 



5. Lythrum Salicaria L. Spiked or Purple Loosestrife. (I. F. f. 2549.) 

 Perennial. 0.5-3 m. high. Leaves opposite or sometimes verticillate in 3's, sessile, 

 lanceolate, cordate or clasping at the base, 5-8 cm. long; flowers purple, trimor- 

 phous, 12-16 mm. broad, in terminal spikes; stamens 8-10, alternately longer and 

 shorter, even the longer ones little exserted; ovary short-stalked; fruiting calyx 

 about 6 mm. long. In swamps and wet meadows, Cape Breton Island to Ont. and 

 Del. Said to be naturalized from Europe. June-Aug. 



6. PARSONSIA P. Br. [CUPHEA P. Br.] 



Herbs (or shrubs in tropical regions), with opposite or verticillate leaves. 

 Flowers axillary, irregular and unsymmetrical. Calyx-tube elongated, 12-ribbed, 

 gibbous or spurred at the base, oblique at the mouth, with 6 primary teeth and 

 usually as many accessory ones. PetaL 6, unequal. Stamens 11 (sometimes 12 in 

 our species), inserted on the throat of the calyx, unequal; filaments short. Ovary 

 with a curved gland at its base, unequally 2-celled; style slender; stigma 2-lobed. 

 Capsule oblong, 1 -celled, laterally dehiscent. Seeds flattened. [In honor of 

 James Parsons, M. D., a Scotch botanist.] About 180 species, natives of America. 

 Besides the following 2 others occur in the Southern States. 



1. Parsonsia petiolata (L.) Rusby. Blue Wax-weed. Clammy Cuphea. 

 Tar- weed. (I. F. f. 2550.) Annual, very viscid-pubescent, 1.5-5 dm. high. 

 1, c;ives slender-petioled, ovate-lanceolate, scabrous, mostly rounded at the base and 

 blunt-pointed at the apex, 2-4 cm. long; flowers short-peduncled, purple, 6-8 mm. 

 broad; petals ovate, clawed; stamens sometimes 12; fruiting calyx swollen, about 

 <S mm. long; capsule dehiscent before the seeds are ripe, the placenta projecting 

 through the lateral orifice. In dry soil, R. I. to 111., Kans., Ga. and La. Intro- 

 duced into S. Ont. July-Oct. 



Family 2. MELASTOMACEAE R. Br. 



Meadow- Beauty Family- 



Herbs (many shrubs or trees in tropical regions), with opposite 3-9- 

 nerved leaves, and regular perfect often showy but rarely odorous flowers. 

 Stipules none. Calyx-tube usually 4-5-lobed, the lobes imbricated. 

 Petals as many as the lobes of the calyx, and inserted on its throat, im- 

 bricated. Stamens twice as many, or equal in number to the petals, often 

 inclined or declined, the alternate ones sometimes shorter. Ovary 

 2-several-celled (often 4-celled) ; style terminal, simple ; ovules co, ana 





