196  Structure  of  Veratrum  Viride. 
paper,  as  exacting  investigations  in  these  directions  are  in  process 
and  will  be  carried  on  during  the  coming  summer. 
STRUCTURE  OF  VERATRUM  VIRIDE. 
By  Edson  S.  Bastix. 
This  liliaceous  plant  is  a  perennial  herb  native  to  eastern  North 
America,  and  ranging  in  its  habitat  from  Canada  to  the  Carolinas. 
It  prefers  damp  localities,  such  as  the  borders  of  moist  thickets,  the 
banks  of  mountain  streams,  etc.  Its  erect,  leafy  stem  rises  to  the 
height  of  from  two  to  seven  feet  and,  except  in  the  inflorescence,  is 
unbranching.  The  leaves  are  three  ranked,  simple,  broadly-oval, 
acute  or  acuminate,  entire-margined,  basi-nerved  and  plicate  along 
the  principal  nerves,  so  that  on  their  lower  surface  they  present  a 
strongly-ribbed  appearance.  They  clasp  the  stem  at  their  base  and 
so  ensheath  it  that  a  cross-section  of  its  lower  portion  shows  it  to 
be  enclosed  in  a  succession  of  thin  cylinders.  The  lower  leaves, 
which  are  from  six  inches  to  a  foot  long,  are  the  broadest,  those 
above  gradually  decreasing  in  size  and  relative  width  to  linear-lance- 
olate bracts,  next  the  inflorescence. 
The  inflorescence  consists  of  a  terminal  pyramidal  panicle  from 
eight  to  sixteen  inches  long,  and  composed  of  dense  spike-like 
racemes  of  greenish-yellow,  monceciously  polygamous  flowers,  each 
subtended  by  a  pointed  bract. 
The  perianth  consists  of  six  pieces,  the  three  outer  (calyx")  very 
similar  in  form  and  color  to  the  three  inner  (corolla),  except  that 
they  are  a  little  longer.  All  of  the  pieces  are  distinct,  or  very 
slightly  united  at  the  base,  lanceolate  in  outline,  somewhat 
narrowed  and  thickish  at  the  base,  and  ciliate-serrulate  on  the 
margin. 
The  andrcecium  consists  of  six  stamems,  which  are  distinct, 
hypogynous,  and  shorter  than  the  pieces  of  the  perianth. 
The  gynaecium  consists  of  a  single,  three-carpeled  pistil,  which 
is  exteriorly  three-lobed,  and  with  three  sessile,  recurved  stigmas. 
Internally,  the  ovary  shows  an  axile  placentation  and  numerous 
ascending  anatropous  ovules.  The  fruit  is  a  septicidal  capsule  con- 
taining usually  in  each  loculus  from  eight  to  ten  flattish-oblong, 
membranous-margined  seeds. 
