North American Plants. 83 



Obs. — Specimens of this minute plant were sent to me in 

 the autumn of 183G, by the discoverer, and also byDr. Boykin, 

 of Milledgeville, Georgia, who received them from Dr. Lea- 

 venworth. It has hitherto been found only in one spot, where 

 it occupies a space of four or five feet in diameter, to the ex- 

 clusion of almost all other plants. It resembles, at first sight, 

 a Callitriche; and when overflowed, the slender scapes, 

 doubtless become natant. The plant belongs to the order 

 Scrophulaiineaa, and is nearly allied to Veronica. Its characters 

 and habit are, however, so peculiar, that there can be little 

 doubt of its constituting a new genus. From Veronica it differs 

 in its tubular-infundibuliform, 5-lobed, and somewhat bilabiate 

 corolla. The most remarkable charcter of the plant, is its two- 

 fold inflorescence ; part of die flowers being produced near the 

 root, on short naked pedicels which originate among the radical 

 leaves, while others are supported on long capillary bibrac- 

 teate scapes. The flowers in both situations are perfect ; 

 not like those of Amphicarpasa, some species of Polygala, 

 and many VioJae, of which those produced near the root are 

 incomplete. In Milium amyhicarpon Pursh, (of which Kunth 

 has made a distinct genus) the subterranean flowers, as in the 

 Amphianthus, are perfect, like those of the panicle. 



In describing the seeds I have used the term anatropous in 

 the sense in which it is employed by Mirbel, and as explain- 

 ed by Dr. Gray in his excellent Elements of Botany. 



Empetrum Conradii. 



Branches smooth ; leaves subverticillate and alternate, nar- 

 row-linear, when young glandularly hispidulous, in the adult 

 state smooth ; flowers aggregated in small capituli, terminal 

 and axillary ; scales of the perianth 5 — 6, obovate-oblono-, 

 smoothish ; stamens 3 — 4 ; style 3 — 4-parted ; ovary 3—4- 

 celled. 



