168 



SAURURACEiE. 



Saurtjrtjs. 



Group 4. Flowers perfect, destitute of both calyx and corolla. Embryo minute, 

 included in the persistent sac of the amnios at the apex of the albumen. — Herbs 

 or undershrubs, not Jloating or submerged. 



Order XCII. SAURURACEiE. L. C. Rich. The Lizard's-tail Tribe. 



Stamens definite. Ovary composed of 3 - 5 more or less united few-ovuled 

 carpels, with distinct styles or stigmas. Fruit capsular or somewhat baccate, 

 mostly 3 - 5-celled, with a single seed in each cell (rarely one-celled and 

 several-seeded). Embryo cordate. — Herbs, growing in wet places, with a 

 creeping rhizoma and jointed terete leafy stems. Leaves simple, entire. 

 Flowers in racemes or spikes. 



1. SAURURUS. Linn.; Endl. gen. 1824. LIZARD'S- TAIL. 



[ From the Greek, saurct, a lizard, and oura, a tail ; in allusion to the form of the raceme.] 



Stamens 6 - 8 : filaments free, elongated. Ovaries 3-4, connate, each with a recurved 

 stigma. Fruit somewhat baccate, 3 - 4-celled ; the carpels easily separating at maturity, 

 1- (rarely 2-) seeded, not opening. Seeds globose-ovoid. — An herb growing in wet places, 

 with cordate entire leaves, and numerous flowers in a solitary spike. 



3. Saururus cernuus, Linn. (Plate XCVII.) Lizard's-tail. 



Linn. sp. 1. p. 341 ; Michsc. fl. 1. p. 218 ; Mirb. ann. du Mus. 16. t. 19 ; Ell. sk. t. 

 p. 432 ; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 252 ; Torr. fl. 1. p. 381 ; Beck, bot. p. 317 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. 

 p. 237. 



Rhizoma creeping in the mud, about half an inch in diameter, jointed, cylindrical. Stems 

 1-3 feet high, forked at the top, angular and sulcate, smoothish. Leaves oblong-cordate, 

 acuminate, 4-6 inches long and 2-3 inches wide, with several branching from the base : 

 petiole 1-2 inches long ; the margin winged. Spike pedunculate, 3-6 inches long, slender, 

 every part white, at first nodding at the summit, erect in fruit : peduncle inserted opposite a 

 leaf at one of the forks of the stem : rachis, pedicels and lanceolate sheathing acute : bracts 

 pubescent. Stamens mostly 6, but often 7 or 8, twice as long as the bracts : filaments 

 gradually dilated upward : anthers innate, oblong ; the cells opening laterally. Ovaries mostly 

 4, united at the base, each with 2-3 ascending ovules. Fruit somewhat fleshy, strongly 

 corrugated. 



Swamps, and margins of ponds and streams ; common towards the seaboard, but rare in 

 the interior in the State. Fl. June - July. Fr. September. Dr. Darlington states that the 

 bruised roots are used in the form of a poultice for inflamed breasts. 



