58 
NORTH AMERICAN 
oblong leaves; the name of platycarpa is an 
absurdity in a Genus having always turgid 
pods : if really with flat pods it is not of this 
Genus ! 
358. GERARBXA and akin genera— Sir 
James Smith has stated in Rees Cycl. that 
this Genus of Plunder was based on the G. iu- 
berosa only, and that Lioneus in adopting it had 
united thereto many plants that ought to be 
separated if with different characters : this is 
the fact with all our North American sp. which 
must even form 3 or 4 peculiar Genera. Nuttal 
deemed them confused, forming 2 sections with 
purple and yellow flowers as near Digitalis as 
Gerardia ! I have reformed this G. in flora 
Tellur. X now mean to revise all our species, 
which X mostly possess and amount to over 20. 
Some of these were once united to Rhinanthus 
Chelone and Erinus ! but Seymeria, Pagesia, 
Dasistema,and others, have been already distin- 
guished. X shall add many others. 
Character of real Gerardia. Calix Slid, co- 
rolla tubulose bilabiate, upper lip emarg. erect, 
lower 31obe, reflexed, middle lobe bifid, lateral 
lobes emarginate. Stamens 4 didynamous 
smooth, anthers smooth, a style, stigma obtuse. 
Capsule bilocular oligosperm, partitions con- 
trary to valves, dehiscent below. Roots tube- 
rose, leaves opposite entire, flowers axillary 
yellow . Several tropical sp. blended in G. tu- 
berose. 
359. XjOphanthera Raf. differs by corolla 
campan. Slobed, the anthers crested, leaves 
divided &c. Type G. del phvnif alia of Asia 
4* c. The African sp. form the G. melasma of 
Berg. 
360. AUREOLARIA Raf. calix campanul. 
